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December 31, 2011

Over 100 'traditional' drugs found unsuitable for humans sold openly in India


It's shocking, but true. Hundreds of popular ayurvedic, homoeopathic and Unani medicines, which have been declared as either "unfit for human consumption", or have otherwise failed to pass essential quality tests for becoming eligible to be exported, are being freely sold in medical stores in Delhi and elsewhere.
Even more shockingly, these drugs have been certified unsafe by a government testing lab. But the Delhi government authority responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules on the part of manufacturers and sellers - the drug control department - professes to be unaware of the practice! "We have no information of such a practice. We will look into the matter seriously," said Ravi Kant, drug controller of Delhi AYUSH (ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and homoeopathy), department of the ministry of health and family welfare.
Nevertheless, scores of such formulations, which have failed to meet the export quality test, are doing brisk business in Delhi drugstores.
According to documents available, over 100 medicines failed to pass quality tests due to "substandard" quality, presence of heavy metals, or prohibited drugs and/or prescription allopathic drugs in alleged "herbal" medicines, are all being openly sold in the market.
Such prohibited content can have adverse and serious effects on the human body on consumption, health experts confirmed.
For instance, 'Missile Power' capsules and 'Xtra Power' capsules, tested at the government of India's Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine in Ghaziabad, were found to contain Sildenafil Citrate, the chemical in prescription drug Viagra.
This is not allowed in Ayurveda products, but both were found to be readily available in medical stores visited by this correspondent.These capsules are consumed for enhancing sexual performance.
Even drugs meant for children were not spared. 'N Tone' syrup (a paediatric tonic for newborns) manufactured by On Ayurvedics, when tested, was found unfit for human consumption as it contained suspended particles.
The tonic is easily available on the internet and in homeopathic stores.
'Mrit Sanjivani Sura', medicinal syrup manufactured by Dabur India Limited, was found exceeding the legal limit of alcohol content, 16 per cent. The tested sample was found to contain 20.56 per cent alcohol.
Samples from other manufacturers of the same syrup, namely Leo Pharma and Rajan Ayurvedics, also failed to pass alcohol limit test. Woodland's medicated Gripe Water, manufactured by Tilak Pharmaceuticals Delhi, which claims to have 'soya seed', failed as there were no soya seeds in it.
While some like ' Panchskar churna' by Sahay Ayurvedic Pharma, failed as the composition and ingredients were not mentioned on the label, others like 'Doctor's Pudin Hara', manufactured by Bandish Chemicals, and Zinzoxin and Fenu Green by Bajaj Herbocare, failed because of prohibited substances, like Methanol, in them.
'Brahmi Vati' by Universal Medicaments, failed as it contained prohibited concentrations of heavy metals. The popular ayurveda medicine 'Rasayan Vati' was found to have exceeded the limit for Cadmium.
'Metascab' ointment was found exceeding limits of Lead and Arsenic, while Debbix tablets were found exceeding limits of lead and cadmium.
Homeopathic medicines Elixir Vita 8 manufactured by Welmans's Homeopathy Delhi and Gastrocin which are used in gastric disturbances, was found to contain alcohol in excess of permissible limits. Alfalfa Q for tiredness and fatigue also failed in alcohol content. Many homeopathic drugs were found in contravention of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954, like Gro-T Tablet by Holistic Remedies, Bio force AG and Heightex.
According to the act, treatment for certain diseases cannot be offered through advertisements. These drugs were found claiming to offer treatment by mere consumption of these drugs. The authorities only appear to be concerned about preventing such medicines from being exported, since overseas health regulations do not permit such formulations.
"We have strictly issued a circular that herbal medicines found with heavy metals would not be exported to other countries. There is no regulation to curb the practice in India. Other countries refused to accept the India-made Ayurveda medicines with metals," said a senior official with the department of drug controls for alternative medicine, AYUSH. The government has fixed the permissible limits of heavy metals in ayurveda and Unani medicines with only herbal ingredients, which are in line with World Health Organisation and US Food and Drugs Administration norms. These limits are 10 parts per million (ppm) for lead, 0.030 ppm for cadmium, 3.0 ppm for arsenic and 1 ppm for mercury.
The Centre, vide its order dated October 14, 2005, has made testing for heavy metals, namely arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium, mandatory for export purposes in respect of every batch of purely herbal ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines by every licensee.
In view of the regulatory requirements of the importing country, the manufacturer is supposed to submit batch- wise testing reports from approved laboratories certifying that the medicines contains heavy metals within permissible limits.
Only after obtaining the certificate can manufacturers export these medicines to other countries. These tests reports were revealed in an RTI reply to Ramesh Verma an RTI activist. "Someone informed me about this rampant practice. I wanted to expose these manufactures so, I filed the RTI," said Verma.
"Drugs that attract the magic remedies acts are mostly the drugs that claim to increase masculine power. These are easily available in the market and are fooling people.

Published in India today
May 30 2011,

by
Akshaya Srikanth

What is the difference between a medical food, a dietary supplement, and a functional food?


Prior to 1972, medical foods were primarily formulas designed for the unique nutritional needs of patients with inherited metabolic disorders. These products were regulated as drugs, usually as orphan products. In 1972, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created the classification "medical food" to enhance product development and availability. In the nearly 4 decades since this classification change, products marketed as medical foods have strayed widely from the original narrow use in rare metabolic conditions.
The FDA specifies that medical foods are foods specifically formulated for dietary management of diseases or conditions with distinctive nutritional needs that cannot be met by diet alone. Generally, a product must meet the following criteria to be labeled a "medical food:
  • A specific formulation (as opposed to a naturally occurring foodstuff in its natural state) for oral or tube feeding;
  • Labeled for the dietary management of a specific medical disorder, disease, or condition with distinctive nutritional requirements;
  • Intended for use under medical supervision; and
  • Intended only for a patient receiving active and ongoing medical supervision for a condition requiring medical care on a recurring basis so that instructions on the use of the medical food can be provided.
Think of medical foods as hybrids of prescription drugs and dietary supplements, more closely resembling dietary supplements in terms of regulation. Packaging for medical foods is similar to prescription products with package inserts, National Drug Code (NDC) numbers, and usually "Rx only" on the labels. However, like dietary supplements, medical foods have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy, and the FDA does not require approval before marketing. "Caution: Federal law prohibits dispensing without prescription" is not required on product labeling. The FDA specifies only that these products are for use with medical supervision; however, a medical food manufacturer may market a product to be dispensed only on physician request.
Unlike dietary supplements, medical foods can be labeled for medical conditions such as Alzheimer disease. Dietary supplements must be labeled for so-called "structure and function claims" and cannot make claims to treat or prevent disease.[4] For example, ginkgo may be labeled "supports memory function" but not "for treatment of dementia." A drug or medical food could be labeled "for treatment of dementia associated with Alzheimer disease."
Medical foods that more closely align with the FDA's historic intent are infant formulas such as Phenyl-Free® 1,aphenylalanine-free formula for babies with phenylketonuria, and Ketonex®-1, a branched-chain amino acid-free formula for babies with maple syrup urine disease -- both rare disorders.
Some manufacturers use the loopholes in the medical foods law to market products for disease indication claims that would not be allowed if marketed as dietary supplements. The following are examples of medical foods:
  • Axona® (caprylic triglyceride) is marketed as for dietary management of Alzheimer disease. Caprylic triglyceride is a medium-chain triglyceride found in coconut oil.
  • Limbrel® (flavocoxid™) is marketed for osteoarthritis. Flavocoxid, which sounds remarkably similar to cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib, is a proprietary blend of flavonoids such as baicalin and catechin.
  • Foltx® (folic acid 2.5 mg, pyridoxine 25 mg, cyanocobalamin 2 mg) is marketed for hyperhomocysteinemia, which has been linked to cardiovascular disease.
In terms of drug interactions, adverse effects, and safety, credible research about medical foods is similar to dietary supplements. Manufacturers are not required to prove efficacy or safety before marketing medical foods or dietary supplements. Explain to patients who want to try a medical food that these products have not been evaluated by the FDA, despite the trappings of prescription drugs.
Finally, "functional foods" is simply a lay term, like "nutraceutical." The FDA has no formal definition for functional foods but does regulate safety and labeling as it does for all food products.
Functional foods are foods marketed for purposes other than nourishment. For example, Activia® is a probiotic yogurt marketed to help "regulate your digestive system." It contains a subspecies strain of Bifidobacterium animalis, which is marketed as Bifidus Regularis®. Another example is DanActive® dairy drink that contains a strain of Lactobacillus casei marketed as L casei immunitas® and is labeled to help "support your immune system."
The Federal Trade Commission recently charged Dannon with deceptive advertising. Dannon agreed to drop claims that allegedly exaggerated the health benefits of Activia (relieves irregularity) and DanActive (protects against cold and flu).[
For products marketed as medical foods for common indications, clinicians should advise patients that these products are like dietary supplements in terms of FDA oversight. Safety and efficacy are unproven. Functional foods, which are undefined by the FDA, are simply products of marketing strategy. Like dietary supplements, functional foods are not required to undergo safety and efficacy testing prior to marketing.
by
 Gayle Nicholas Scott, PharmD 
Assistant Professor, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia; Clinical Pharmacist, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Chesapeake, Virginia


Know about Pharm.D

What is Pharm.D course?                                                                                                        
Pharm.D course is a Professional Pharmacy doctoral programme of 6  yrs duration after 10+2 (scienceacademic stream) which includes 5yrs  of academic study + 1 year of internship or residency.
2.      What is Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate)?                                                                                 
Pharm.D (PB) course is a Professional Pharmacy doctoral Programme. B.Pharm graduates shall be admitted as lateral entry candidate to the 4th year of Pharm.D programme & the duration of course is 3 academic years ( 2yrs of study and 1 year of internship or residency).
3.      What are the eligibility criteria to join Pharm.D courses?
For Pharm.D:
i)    A pass in 10+2 examination with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects along with one of the following subjects: Mathematics or Biology.
ii) A pass in D.Pharm course from an institution approved by the Pharmacy council of India under section 12 of The Pharmacy Act.
For Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate):                                                                                                A pass in B.Pharm from an institution approved by the Pharmacy Council of India under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act.
4.      How many numbers of admissions will be made by the institution for the Pharm.D and Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate)?
Number of admissions for the Pharm.D program shall be as prescribed by the Pharmacy Council of India from time to time and presently it is restricted to 30 students intake for Pharm.D & 10 students for Pharm D (PB) per academic year.
5.     What is the course content of Pharm.D programs?
For detailed course content (syllabus) see:PharmD Regulations 2008. PCI website: www.pci.nic.in2
6.     Whether the Pharm.D is a registrable qualification?
Yes, Pharm.D is a registrable qualification under the Pharmacy Act 1948.
7.     In what way Pharm.D differs from regular B.Pharm?
Both B.Pharm and Pharm D are the registrable qualification for practicing pharmacy profession under the Pharmacy Act. B.Pharm is a 4 yrs course and Pharm D is 6 yrs course including one yr of clinical internship.
Pharmacy practice component in all spheres of Pharmacy professional services like Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy,clinical research, regulatory, formulation development, quality control are emphasized in PharmD programme and after Pharm D qualification the professionals are eligible to undertake Ph.D. programme.
8.     After completion of Pharm D am I eligible for Ph.D.?
Yes. After Pharm.D the candidate is eligible to register for Ph.D. 
9.     Can I prefix Dr to my name?
Yes, for the purpose of practicing Pharmacy Profession under Pharmacy Act.

Feel free to post your queries on my wall page…
AKSHAYA SRIKANTH,
Pharm.D Candidate, 
P.R.R.M.College of Pharmacy, 
Kadapa                                                                                                                                                                                    


Top health happenings in 2011 in India


January 24: Eminent Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi died of old age related ailments.
January 26th: Renowned gynecologist Indira Hinduja, cardiologist Jose Chacko Periappuram, orthopedican S P Mandal, cardiologist Mansoor Hasan, endrocrinologist Sivapatham Vittal, gastroenterologist Madanaur Ahmed Ali and A Marthanda Pillai, a neurologist from Kerala were awarded Padma awards.
April 5: Anna Hazare did a fast from 5 April 2011 to 9 April 2011.
April 24: In Prashanti Nilayam Specialty Hospital Sri Sathya Sai Baba died at 7.40 a.m. due to cardiorespiratory failure and multi organ failure. He was terminally on prolonged ventilator.
May 16: The Union Health Ministry reconstituted the Board of Governors for the Medical Council of India with Professor K.K. Talwar former Director, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh as the Chairman.
June 1: 44-year-old Sunita got a heart transplant at Ganga Ram Hospital.
June 9: MF Hussain, one of India’s best-known artists, died of a heart attack at the Royal Brampton Hospital in London.
June 12: Baba Ram Dev was in the news because of failure of continuing Satya Graha for more than seven days despite being a Yogi. He broke his fast over black money on June 12 in Haridwar.
June 15: In Dehradun, Swami Nigamananda, an ascetic who valiantly fought against the stone quarries and pollution of River Ganga, by observing a fast for 114 days, died at Himalayan Institute of Medical Science.
August 4: Sonia Gandhi got treated in US for an unknown illness.
August 14: Shammi Kapoor died of chronic renal failure at age 79. He was on ventilator.
August 20-28: Anna Hazare did his fast at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. He lost 7.5 kg and was very dehydrated after the 288 hour long fast.
August 20-28: Dr Naresh Trehan in the news for treating Anna Hazare.
September 7: Amar Singh, a kidney transplant patient, was sent to jail.
September 7: Eleven people were killed and 62 injured in a powerful blast outside Delhi High Court gate.
September 23: Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who overcame an impaired eye to become a visionary and pioneering captain of the Indian Test team, has died in Delhi at the age of 70.
October: Perfect Health Mela this year was organized at multiple locations.
November 5: Celebrated Indian folk singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika, known as the Bard of Brahmaputra, died at the age of 86.
November 11: Fourteen persons died and 40 others suffered injuries when a major fire engulfed a congregation of eunuchs at a community centre in an east Delhi.
November 16: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to a baby girl at age 38.
November 26: Yuvraj in the news for NHL, chest tumor.
December 1: Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao became parents to a baby boy born to a surrogate mother.
December 3 : Dev Anand died in his room at the Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 (4 December 2011 by Indian Standard Time) of a cardiac arrest.
December 8-11th: Emedinews brought out daily newsletter for cardiological society of India 63rd annual conference in Mumbai.
December 9: 89 people, most of them patients, died when fire swept through a Kolkata AMRI hospital.
December 13: Government postponed the NEET UG test by another year after opposition from several states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Goa etc.
December 21: A decision to implement the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2010 in Delhi was taken.
December 21: Delhi to have three more new medical colleges.
December 23:  The National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill, 2011, to bring all independent bodies such as Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India and Nursing Council of India under one umbrella, was passed.
ch as Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India and Nursing Council of India under one umbrella, was passed.
December 24th: The fear of Japanese Encephalitis was in the news. On Dec 24th the government announced a national programme to the tune of nearly Rs 2,000 crore to combat Japanese Encephalitis and Acute
Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the upcoming Union budget.
December 27: Anna Hazare began a 3-day hunger strike at MMRDA ground
December 27: Sachin Tendulkar was in the news for his nervous nineties.
December 28: Anna Hazare called off his 3-day fast due to ill health.
The winter this year was the coldest winter in the last 10 years.
Nothing happened in the sector of Anti-Quackery Bill.
by
Akshaya Srikanth
Managing editor,
Aala times

British National Formulary 61 – March 2011 Edition


This essential reference provides up-to-date, practical guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines.
The BNF evaluates clinical evidence from diverse sources with information validated by a network of clinical experts and published under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee. The BNF reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the uses of medicines.
Contents:
Guidance on the drug management of common conditions
Details of medicines prescribed within the UK with special reference to their uses, cautions, contra-indications, side-effects, doses and relative costs
Guidance on prescribing, monitoring, dispensing and adminstering medicines

Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology: with STUDENT CONSULT – May 2011 Edition

Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology provides you with all the knowledge you need to get through your pharmacology course and beyond. Drs. Humphrey P. Rang, Maureen M. Dale, James M. Ritter, Rod Flower, and Graeme Henderson present a clear and accessible approach to the analysis of therapeutic agents at the cellular and molecular level through detailed diagrams, full-color illustrations, and pedagogical features. Plus, USMLE-style review questions and additional learning tools online at studentconsult.com make this the perfect resource to turn to for a full understanding of key concepts in pharmacology.
  • Access the fully searchable text online at studentconsult.com, along with 500 USMLE-style multiple-choice review questions, downloadable images, and online onlyreferences.
  • Find and cross-reference information quickly using a color-coded layout that makes navigation easy.
  • Effectively understand and review key concepts through detailed diagrams and full-color illustrations that clarify even the most complex concepts.
  • Reinforce your learning with key points boxes and clinical uses boxes that highlight crucial information and clinical applications.
  • Apply current best practices and clinical applications through thoroughly updated and revised drug information.
  • Stay current with the latest developments in the field thanks to major updates in chapters such as How Drugs Act; Amino Acid Transmitters; Analgesic Drugs; Antidepressant Drugs; and Drug Addiction, Dependence & Abuse.
  • Tap into comprehensive content tailored to your courses with new and reorganized chapters on Host Defense; Inflammatory Mediators; Pharmacogenetics, Pharmacogenomics & Personalized Medicine; Hydroxytoptomine & The Pharmacy of Migraine; and Purines.
http://www.filesonic.com/file/1537932601

The most useful book for the Pharm.D students

Helpful Tips from Your Pharmacist


Medication store tips:

§  Never store medications in hot, humid areas like  bathrooms and cars
§  Never keep medications past their expiration date
§  Always keep medications away from children
§  Be aware some medications must be refrigerated (ex. insulin)
§  Be aware that some medications may require special handling (shake well, wear gloves, etc)
§  Keep nitroglycerin in its original glass bottle

Use Medications Wisely:

§  Always follow the directions on the label 
§  If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is close to your next dose 
§  Never “double up” on your medications
§  Do not share your medications 
§  Make sure you do not run out of your medications

Know your Pharmacist:

Pharmacists at the VA are located throughout
the hospital and clinics. Pharmacists provide patient care
in many ways.

Speak Up!

Be a part of your healthcare team!

Tell us about:
Allergies (food and drug).
Medications you are taking including:
¨        Over-the-counter medications
¨        Herbal or weight loss products
¨        Vitamins or dietary supplements
¨        Medications provided outside the VA

Ask your pharmacist about anything!  Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you do not understand something about your healthcare!

Proper Disposal

Do not flush any medications down the toilet or pour them down the drain unless you are told to
do so.  Fentanyl patches are an example of a drug that can be safely flushed down the toilet.

Getting rid of medications:
§  Call your county or local trash service. Many have special waste facilities
that will take old medication.
§  Throw outdated and unused medication in the trash. Add a strong spice like
cayenne pepper or some water mixed with kitty litter or used coffee grounds. 
This will help keep animals and children from swallowing them. Put them inside a strong brown paper bag or cardboard box.  Medications, especially those in patch form, can be placed in aluminum cans to prevent unwanted access.


by
Akshaya Srikanth
FIP-YPG Pictogram transilator

Future of pharmacy profession is not dispensing of drugs, but providing therapy recommendations to patients

The future of pharmacy profession will not depend merely on dispensing of medication, but it will have the duties such as providing relevant drug information and drug therapy recommendations to the patients. Likewise, the future pharmacist or a modern hospital pharmacist may have core knowledge about all kinds of medications, including their adverse effects, interactions, proper dosing and monitoring parameters, according to Dr Sunil Kumar Jain, chief pharmacist, AIIMS-Hospital, New Delhi and 
vice-president IPA,  Delhi Branch. 
He was speaking on “current scenario in pharmaceutical education and research” while addressing the national seminar at Hindu College of Pharmacy, Sonepat (Haryana). The event was jointly organized by the Association of Pharmacy Teachers of India, Haryana Branch and Indian
Pharmaceutical Association, Delhi Branch.
Very shortly the responsibilities of the pharmacist may change into a different level as he understands the risks inherent in the medication management process and is able to identify areas of weakness. He will be fit enough to create or redesign the systems to improve the risk areas with his advanced professional skills and knowledge. The pharmacists can manage and improve drug therapy and quality of life for all sorts of patients, especially for geriatric patients. He can provide a variety of small but important services to the geriatric patients while taking prescription medication, Dr SK Jain said.
According to him a modern pharmacist will be familiar with electronic media, computer knowledge and counselling & communication skills. He should be able to provide patient oriented services which start from obtaining patients’ medication history, to feed back from the patient after discharge. There will be a vital triangular relationship among pharmacists, doctors and patients that may help improve patients' use of medicines and simplifying various complexities.
Dr Jain is of opinion that side effects of drugs may be due to wrong handling of drugs, improper patient counselling, adverse drug reaction, medication errors, lack of drug information available at Drug Information Centres, lack of quality assurance measures taken during drug testing and improper dispensing of medicines.
Further, he said a community pharmacist is a major source of information to the over the counter (OTC) users residing in the rural and backward areas. The pharmacist can convey his message to the OTC consumers through various modes. In short pharmacists are primary custodians of drugs and ensure safety and suitability by checking drug-drug and drug-food interactions. According to the chief pharmacist, it is often difficult for a doctor to stay up-to-date on the latest breakthroughs in the pharmaceutical industry, but a specialist (modern pharmacist) can answer any questions regarding a new drug.
Dr Sanju Nanda, associate professor, Dept of Pharmaceutics, Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak was the guest of honour in the seminar. She spoke on the need 0of revolution required in pharma packaging industry.
Dr S Sardana, principal, Hindu College of Pharmacy, welcomed the professionals and future pharmacists to the seminar. He shared his views about the current trends in the field of pharmaceutical education and research.
Dr Manisha Vats, assistant professor, Hindu College of Pharmacy, spoke on “Biopiracy of Traditional Knowledge”. Scientific session was followed by the poster presentation session. Three best poster presenters were selected and authors were awarded by dignitaries.
Source:PharmaBiz
by
Akshaya Srikanth, *Dr.Sunil Jain
Pharm.D Intern, Chief Pharmacist-AIIMS
Hyderabad, India

A section of medical doctors launches campaign against starting Pharm D course in India

The validity, necessity and promotion of the pharmacy course, Pharm D is being questioned by a section of the Kerala branch of QPMPA, the national  level organisation of private medical practitioners.

The association plans to set out a national level agitation against the promotion of the course by arguing that the advancement of the course will reduce the medical importance of the doctors.

The move against the promotion of Pharm D was already kick-started in Kerala by one Dr Sushama Anil, doctor –cum-owner of a Kozhikode based hospital. The doctor is now engaged in the task of mobilizing doctors from other states to escalate the agitation into the level of a national struggle against Pharmacy Council of India.

Dr Sushama Anil, a member of QPMPA has written an article in the monthly journal of the association in which she says that if the Pharm D is recognized and established by the government, and appointed those graduates in the hospitals as intermediaries between doctors and patients, the doctors community will lose the entire control of the medicines. Making a remark on the Pharm D graduates as ‘pharma doctors’, she says the total control of the drugs will be vested up on these ‘compounders’. According to her, the pharmacists, whether B Pharm, M Pharm or Pharm D, are mere compounders.

The article says that with the introduction of Pharm D, the Pharmacy Council of India is trying to bring back the extinct ‘medical practice compounders into force.' This move of the PCI will pave the way for a tussle between doctors and ‘pharma doctors’ (pharmacists) for power, position and importance in the health sector, the doctor maintains through the article. Her argument is that the doctors should be the backbone of the healthcare system, nobody should be allowed to try to be at par with the doctors.

According to her, the pharmacists (‘pharma doctors’) are vested with the roles of conducting patient’s medication history review, medication order review, patient counselling, adverse drug reaction monitoring, therapeutic drug monitoring, ward rounds and providing drug information to the drug information centre, these are nothing to do with the pharmacists, but are the duties of the doctors.  In such a situation, no medical representatives will approach the doctors and their knowledge about the new drugs cannot be updated. This will adversely affect in such a way that the doctors need only to diagnose or carry out the clinical procedures. “MBBS should be renamed as DBBS—Bachelor of Diagnosis and Bachelor of Surgery,” the doctor said.

Since there is the term ‘Doctor’ in the expansion of Pharm D, the person having the Pharm D qualification can use ‘Dr’ as prefix to his name. This is against the dignity of the doctors and the medical profession. Pharm D course is like the ‘old wine in new bottle’ as in olden days for want of doctors in rural areas, the compounders used to treat the patients, Dr Sushama wrote in the article.

While speaking to Pharmabiz at the QPMPA national seminar in Thiruvananthapuram, Dr Sushma Anil said a pharmacist or a compounder cannot become a doctor, then why should he put the term ‘Doctor’ as prefix to his name. The doctor prefers to call the Pharm D graduates as ‘compounders’ rather than calling them as pharmacists. To support her argument, she asks whether a conductor can do the job of a driver. She is of opinion that even the doctors are old in age, they update their knowledge, but the compounders are not. Further she said the doctors are service oriented, but the pharmacists are business oriented.

While arguing for the dignity of the doctors community, she said the Pharmacy Council of India has started the course on ego basis. “They (pharmacists) want to become above the doctors.”

Another allegation levelled against PCI, according to the article, is that the PCI’s intention is to phase out gradually the three year B Pharm course by giving opportunity for the ongoing Pharmacy graduates to attain Pharm D.

The article also exhorts the doctors’ community to organize and fight together against the launching of the 3.5 year Rural Medical Services (BRMS).



source;Pharmabiz


by
Akshaya Srikanth

LIST OF ADR MONITORING CENTRES UNDER PHARMACOVIGILANCE PROGRAMME OF INDIA (PVPI)


S.No.
Address
Coordinators
Email Address
National Coordinating Centre (NCC)
1
Department of Pharmacology,
 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
Dr. Y.K. Gupta
National Coordinator
ADR Monitoring Centres (AMC)
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,                                                        
 Therapeutics & Toxicology,
Govt. Medical College, Bakshi Nagar, Jammu.
Dr. Vishal Tandon
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
PGIMER, Chandigarh
Dr. Bikash Medhi
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
 R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkatta
Dr. Anjan Adhikari
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi
Dr. H.S. Rehan
  1.  
Department of Clinical Pharmacology,
  Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai
Dr. Urmila Thatte
  1.  
Department of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology,
 School of Tropical Medicine, Chittaranjan Avenue, Kolkata
Dr. Santanu Tripathi
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
JIPMER, Pondicherry
Dr. C Adithan
  1.  
Department of Clinical Pharmacy,
JSS Medical College Hospital, Karnataka
Dr. Parthasarathi G
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology ,
Medical College, Guwahati. Assam
Dr. Mangala Lahkar
  1.  
Institute of Pharmacology,
 Madras Medical College, Chennai
Dr. R Nandini
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
SAIMS Medical College, Indore-Ujjain
Dr. Chhaya goyal
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
 GSVM Medical College, Swaroop Nagar, Kanpur, U.P.
Dr SP Singh
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences,
Rohtak, Haryana.
Dr MC Gupta
dr_mcgupta@yahoo.co.in,
dr.mcgupta57@gmail.com
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab
Dr. Sandeep Kaushal
  1.  
Department of Clinical Pharmacology,
Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, J&K. 
Dr. ZA Wafai
  1.  
Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttrakhand
Dr. DC Dhasmana
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
Santosh Medical University, Santosh Nagar, Ghaziabad
Dr VC Chopra
  1.  
Department of Pharmacology,
SMS Medical College, Jaipur
Dr. Mukul Mathur
coordpvpimsjp@rediffmail.com
  1.  
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Christian Medical College,Vellore, Tamil Nadu
Dr. Sujith chandy