Seasons greetings & good wishes to one and all. May the new year bring better community and hospital pharmacy to india. "LOKO SAMASTA SUKHINO BHAVANTU" [MAY ALL BE HAPPY IN THIS WORLD] Well, the 63rd IPC events has just been over and all are back to their seats to drive ahead the left over tasks. The event had many many good things apart from the mouth watering recipes. Pharma exhibition was good and was a good exposure to students and an update to many like me. Sellers - buyers meet was a good experience. Scientific sessions were as usual went on like a ritual and the speakers did a good job to their best and there was nothing much to discuss or dispute. But there was no harm in accepting what was served. The real casualty was community and hospital pharmacy sessions, which was more a projected image than the true scenario. Every one talked of their dream pharmacy and the ways to make it reality. Of course, there were some who threw their hands helplessly "oh' nothing can / will happen". Participation in the IPC again reminded me my earlier dreams and the ideas and talks I had been exchanging and hearing since my student days in such events. I found absolutely no change in the approach, attitude and resolutions even after decades. Every one talks with pride on industrial pharma sector and cleverly shifts over to 'Advise format' when it comes to community and hospital pharmacy. Even after 4 to 5 decades we are unable to talk with pride on the quality of our community and hospital pharmacy. Is it too difficult to understand the deficiency and make up the gap to produce a pharmacists of good quality to operate a good community and hospital pharmacy or are we shying away to see and digest the reality? It doesn't require a huge national event to correct the system. But it requires much more boldness to accept the remedy among the academicians and the enforcement . The 'Key' lies in addressing the mismatch existing in the curriculum, experience and skill background of the teacher, Drugs & Cosmetics Act, Pharmacy Act. The irony is the issue emphasized in one is silenced in the other! I am sorry to say that I didn't get an answer to my query on this issue and also on the definition of pharma practice. I was advised to look into the web site for the draft legislative proposal which I couldn't find till date. Key issues: We don't have teachers experienced / trained in community and hospital pharmacy. We don't send the teachers at least for orientation training to any hospital or a community pharmacy (May be it is low to their prestige) We teach out dated age old formulations We teach the subject like a mother frog teaching the life to its kids in the well. We are blind at the title of the drug license.(LICENSE TO SELL / DISTRIBUTE THE DRUGS) Pharmacy Act doesn't come to the rescue of any pharmacist if he is hauled up by the Drugs & Cosmetics Act for his crime of practicing pharmacy in its true sense. Well, these are not today's discoveries! These issues are existing right since the birth of Drugs Act, Pharmacy Act, Pharmacy Colleges. So, what are we doing? WE ARE WALKING ON A TREAD MILL! like the song: 'There is a hole in the bucket!