Pharmacy Council of India mandates urgent implementation of Pharmacy Practice Regulations for pharmacists

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) in January 2015 had already notified about the implementation of the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR),2015. A letter from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) was also added to the notice. The letter was about the clarification of the procedure of the implementation of the regulation of the state. The MoHFW underlined that the state government may proclaim that the education laws will take effect in the state at any moment after the formation of the state pharmacy councils.

The Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 includes the code of Pharmacy Ethics, Duties and Responsibilities of registered pharmacists in general, Pharmacy inspector to inspect pharmacies, Maintaining good pharmacy practice, Application of others not barred, Duties of the registered pharmacist to the patients, Duties of a registered pharmacist, Responsibilities to the registered pharmacist to each other, Duties of the registered pharmacist to the public and to the profession, unethical acts, misconduct, and the punishment and disciplinary actions.

As per Section 11 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 at any time after the constituent of the state council under Chapter III and after consultation with the state council, the State government may, by notification in the official gazette, declare that the education regulations shall take effect in the state…,"

"Provided that where no such declaration has been made, the education regulations shall take effect in the state on the expiry of three years from the date of the constitution of the state council," it added.

According to Article 254 of the Constitution of India, "If any legislation enacted by the state legislature is repugnant to the legislation enacted by the Parliament, then the state legislation will be declared void, and the legislation enacted by the Parliament will prevail over the former."

"Since the PCI's regulations come under the concurrent list, hence, based on the above facts, it is binding to the state governments to implement the same with immediate effect, and the same is not required to be notified again by the state governments," added the MoHFW.

Therefore, PCI requested all state and union territory governments to immediately implement Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015.

Also Read: PCI to amend Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulation 2022