the right value is given only in the right place. If you are not valued, it doesn’t mean you are worthless — it only means you are standing in the wrong place.

Dear PharmDs, 

Let me tell you a short story.

An aged father once told his daughter: “I have nothing to give you except the old car standing outside. Before selling it, take it to different places and see how much people value it.”

The daughter took the car first to a dealer — he said it was too old, worth very little. Then to a shopkeeper — he offered a little more, just out of kindness. Finally, she showed it to a museum. The curator exclaimed, “This is a rare classic, priceless! We will pay you a fortune.”

The father then said, “My child, the right value is given only in the right place. If you are not valued, it doesn’t mean you are worthless — it only means you are standing in the wrong place.”

Friends, this is exactly the condition of our young pharmacists today. Many feel undervalued and frustrated. In some hospitals, they are treated merely as dispensers. In others, a little better as support staff. 

But when the system understands your expertise in medicines, patient safety, and therapy optimization — will be recognized as an  indispensable member of the healthcare team.

Now, the good news is that 'The All India PharmDs Association® (AIPDA) is bringing on the cards the PharmaCare Clinical Support System — a platform to approach Government of India with a well planed presentation and a Memorandum and to request to start 'Pharmacare Clinical Clinical support' department' in selected hospitals as a Pilot Project where pharmacists where your skills in drug information, evidence-based support, and clinical care will be recognized as essential for better patient outcomes.

Friends, the message is clear:

👉 Our value does not diminish because someone fails to recognize it.

👉 It is our responsibility to give moral push to our students, our young professionals, to move towards the right platforms, to innovate, to prepare, and to be part of systems like PharmaCare where their true worth will shine.

Let us not lament. Let us stand united and strengthen the AIPDA to negotiate intellectually with the Government to make 'Pharmacare' concept a reality.

Join AIPDA today!

Thank you.

POV: Bhagwan PS

Accutane(isotretinoin) coverage depends on your specific health insurance and often requires a prior authorization, where your dermatologist must prove you've tried other treatments first.

Accutane (isotretinoin) coverage depends on your specific health insurance plan and often requires a prior authorization, where your dermatologist must prove you've tried other treatments first. Your insurer may prefer or only cover the less expensive generic versions, and you will likely still be responsible for costs like co-pays and lab fees. To confirm coverage and costs, contact your insurance provider and doctor before starting treatment. 

Key considerations for insurance coverage: 

• Prior Authorization:

  Most insurance plans require this process for isotretinoin, where the insurer and your doctor discuss your treatment and approve it.
• Generic vs. Brand-Name:

  Insurers often prefer generic forms of isotretinoin (like Claravis or Myorisan) over the brand-name Accutane.
• Additional Costs:

  Even with insurance, you may have to pay for lab tests, monthly doctor visits, and co-pays.
• Check Before You Start:

  Always verify coverage and potential costs with your insurance company and doctor before beginning the prescription.

What to do if your insurance denies coverage:

• Review the Denial:

  Carefully read the denial letter to understand the specific reason for the decision. 
• Contact Your Insurance:

  Speak with your insurance provider to learn more about the requirements. 
• Appeal the Decision:

  You can appeal the denial by providing additional information or working with your doctor to submit a strong case. 
• Explore Alternatives:

  If Accutane is not covered, discuss alternative acne treatments with your dermatologist. 
• Look for Savings Programs:

  For commercial plans, you might be able to use a manufacturer's savings card to reduce your out-of-pocket costs for Teva's isotretinoin. 

Phamacy Council Election

#PhamacyCouncilElection

All ills of Pharmacy councils are due to syndicate grouping of Yes-Men who preplan #MatchFixMeetings and Resolutions.

Hence, Tips to Voters:

👉Do not vote for all in one group.

- They become Yes-Men to their leader to flout all Rules and Regulations and it may lead to loot funds.

👉 Pick Good People from each group and do not ignore independents.

👉 Keep the elected members answerable to the Regd Pharmacists.

Good wishes

POV: Bhagwan PS

'Profession Vs Job' - Professional standards do not compromise whereas Job standards can be compromised.!

'Profession Vs Job'

Professional standards do not compromise whereas Job standards can be compromised.!

Making M Pharm equally eligible as Pharm D for Clinical Pharmacist post has Compromised the Profession.

Hence #NotAWiseMove.

A post in a Wtsp group:

    "Dear Sir/Madam, In a major relief to MPharm degree holders, the Union government has decided to include MPharm (pharmacy practice) as a sufficient qualification for appointing clinical pharmacists to hospitals. The government clarified its stance in the High Court in response to a batch of writ petitions filed by various MPharm degree holders.

Justice Viju Abraham, who considered the petitions, directed the government to implement the decision within three months. Earlier, the government had excluded MPharm as the eligible qualification for serving as clinical pharmacists in hospitals through an amendment brought to the Pharmacy Practice Regulations Act in 2019. Through this amendment, the government made doctor of pharmacy (Pharm D) the qualification for the post."

PCI committed the same blunder while starting B Pharm keeping D Pharm alive.

Had the D Pharm been closed the Hospital Pharmacy would have been in a strong position by now in health

sector.

This is result of having professionally unqualified people in authority.

Pov: Bhagwan PS

Vision Of The Indian PPR Act by Bhagwan PS

#MyVisionOfTheIndianPPRAct

Pov: Bhagwan PS

Given the persistent failure of institutions and systems to provide fair, deserved opportunities to qualified pharmacists, an exclusive legislation with clear empowerment and accountability has become essential.

The Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) Act is envisioned as the legal and professional backbone for safe, effective, and ethical pharmaceutical care in India. It will authorize pharmacists as direct patient care providers, backed by professional accountability, standard operating procedures, and defined service delivery models—integrating them seamlessly into the healthcare continuum.

Under the PharmaCare Clinical Support System, the Act applies across all professional tiers—D Pharm, B Pharm, M Pharm, and PharmD—with structured, competency-based roles:

1. #DiplomaInPharmacy (D Pharm):

Frontline dispensers and community care providers. Trained in medication handling, prescription verification, OTC guidance, and basic counselling. Accountable for legal dispensing, adverse event reporting, and prescription record maintenance.

2. #BachelorOfPharmacy (B Pharm):

Advanced technical and operational support. Skilled in dosage form optimisation, supply chain integrity, pharmacovigilance, and rational drug use promotion. Authorized to conduct prescription audits, assist in therapeutic substitutions under protocol, and support primary care clinics in medication therapy management.

3. #MasterOfPharmacy (M Pharm – Pharmacy Practice / Clinical / Hospital Pharmacy):

Specialised medication experts in clinical decision support, formulary management, and interprofessional collaboration. Lead quality improvement programs, train juniors, develop evidence-based protocols, and support health technology assessment initiatives.

4. #DoctorOfPharmacy (PharmD):

Apex patient-care pharmacists integrated into clinical teams. Conduct medication histories, identify and resolve drug-related problems, perform therapeutic drug monitoring, and provide evidence-based therapy recommendations. Drive clinical governance, patient safety initiatives, and pharmacare research.

The #PPRAct’s PharmaCare model creates a continuous patient-care chain where each cadre complements the next—ensuring medication use is safe, effective, and cost-efficient. It mandates standardised documentation, ICT-enabled monitoring, and continuous professional development to maintain competence.

Ultimately, the Act positions pharmacists as indispensable members of healthcare teams—bridging the gap between prescription and patient outcomes, reducing medication errors, and improving public health metrics. It shifts pharmacy practice from a supply-driven role to a patient-centred, outcome-oriented healthcare service—securing the pharmacist’s place as a critical partner in India’s healthcare service system.

PCI to integrate pharmacists' database with Healthcare Professional Registry

Gireesh Babu, New Delhi Saturday, November 23, 2024, 08:00 Hrs  [IST]

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has sought all the pharmacists who don't have the ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) number to attain a number and ensure registration with the DIGI-PHARMed profile with the ABHA number on immediate basis, as part of its efforts to integrate the pharmacists' list with the Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR). The Council is in the process of verification of all registered pharmacists on the DIGI-PHARMed portal in order to integrate pharmacists with the HPR, and asked all the pharmacists to consider certain action points in order to equip the Council for a smooth integration. "All registered pharmacists are requested to verify their DIGI-PHARMed profile with the ABHA Number on immediate basis. The said verification must be completed within the timeline of 45 days from the date of issuance of this circular," said the Council in a communication to all registered pharmacists. "Failing to this, the pharmacist's profile will be disabled for any further usage on the DIGI-PHARMed portal," it added. In case of new registration, pharmacists must ensure to verify their account with the ABHA number at the time of registration and without verification of the profile with this number will be considered as incomplete registration. If the pharmacists don't have the ABHA number, it is directed to create the ABHA number using Aadhar before initiating the process or the registration of DIGI-Pharmed portal. The Council also requested to all the pharmacy institutions as well to check that all the faculty in their institutions are having the ABHA verified profiles and notified that during the Standard Inspection Format (SIF) applications and for further reference, only ABHA verified profiled of faculty will be considered by the Council from 2025-26 academic session, it added. It also directed all pharmacists that they must ensure that the documents uploaded to the portal while registering are authentic and validated. "If the Council discovers at any stage that any documents submitted during the registration process are incorrect, the respective profile of those pharmacists will be blacklisted," said the Council. In case of any inconvenience or technical issues, the pharmacists or the institutions can share the issues over email to the Council or reach out over telephone, it added. Healthcare Professionals Registry is a comprehensive repository of registered and verified different system of medicines (modern medicine, dentistry, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy) and nurses practitioners delivering healthcare services across India.  The ABHA number will be used for the purposes of uniquely identifying persons, authenticating them, and threading their health records (only with the informed consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders The repository is part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which empowers healthcare professionals to be part of India’s digital health ecosystem through a unique healthcare professional ID. With last mile coverage, people will be able to interact with healthcare practitioners or vice versa. Healthcare professional profile visible in the ABDM ecosystem is verified and authorised to practice medicine in the country. The HPR ensures that healthcare practitioners suitably trained and qualified to practice medicine with competence and ethical conformity are allowed to register with the HPR. Pharmacists are HealthCare Professionals. Lets be worth it. Really!!!,  then why the term ' PharmaCare ' was coined. Pharmacist A HealthCare professional? If so why pharmacy course is not?. Has the Pharmacy education been got included in National Health Education Manual? ok

So many regulatory bodies and governing bodies in pharmacy education: whims of my mind

PCI(Pharmacy Council Of India) and AICTE(All India Council for technical education) are the governing bodies in the pharmacy education , keeping in mind the compounding and dispensing as well as the technical aspects involved in Pharmaceutical Engineering .

Now with the advent of Pharm D course in pharmacy, which is clinically oriented 6 years course in pharmacy and the syllabus is designed such as  first 3 years are same as B.Pharm ( compounding and dispensing oriented) and next 2 years are same as MD Pharmacology (medically and clinically oriented) and 1 year of internship in an attached (minimum- 300 beded) hospital , one may expect MCI (medical council of India) to get into the thick of the things/matters.

As it requires an affiliation with a  hospital( minimum 300 beded), to get approval for an pharmaceutical institute from PCI to conduct the course , one must expect MCI(medical council of India)(Now NMC) also to get involved as a regulatory and governing body.

PCI governs courses like : D.Pharm
                                         B.Pharm
                                        Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)

AICTE governs courses like : B.Pharm( jointly with PCI)
                                              M.Pharm

Now one must expect AICTE,PCI and MCI may jointly govern : Pharm D and Pharm D(PB)

But no, its not a rational thinking on my part. MCI (Now NMC ) will get involve only when the course is a medical one or may be when the professional doctor is dealing with a body part.
So, its fair enough that MCI(NMC) is not involved into these matters.(Really?!!!)