It is a set back for Pharmacy profession that pharmacy students study on an average more than 30 subjects in 4 year span but when its comes to the implication of any subject they stands nowhere .

 The main reason for this is that we get only shallow knowledge about various subjects but not in depth. As one studies Clinical Pharmacology & Disease management etc. but if we see the actual picture, pharmacist stands nowhere in patient counseling landscape just after graduation.

Sales and marketing is supposed to be a life line for any pharmaceutical company . Discovery of Drug is a one part, but the most important part in the success of any drug molecule is how it is communicated and promoted among the health care professionals to generate huge revenues for the company.

If we see the traditional system, where drug concept was usually developed in R&D department which than moves to production department and at last to sales and marketing division for sales and promotion of product or drug molecule.

Number of times patient dies just because of unavailability of blood or missing of blood of same group in hospitals in cases of emergencies. Now a day’s scientists are working on artificial Blood which is prepared from liposomes encapsulated hemoglobin (LEH) .

Pharmaceutical care is a novel concept mooted by World Health Organization (WHO) and Federation of International Pharmacy to make the health care full proof. The health care setups are usually run under the leadership of doctors but in recent time this paradigm is unable to provide comprehensive health care. So to overcome these lacunae the health care should be a team work of primarily doctor, pharmacist and nurse. They have come out with doctors for diagnosis; nurses for nursing care pharmacist to give pharmaceutical care to needy patients.

By taking inspiration from the above Association of Community Pharmacist of India (ACPI) in collaboration with Dr AV Baliga Memorial Charitable Hospital under the aegis of Kamala Baliga Memorial Charitable Institution and Manipal University launched a program for the members of diabetic patient self help group in Manipal.

Association of Community Pharmacists of India – In Patient Health Care
It is my great privilege to introduce you about ACPI (Association of Community Pharmacists of India) and work ACPI doing in patient health care . ACPI was recently launched by Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences under the guidance of Prof. Anantha Naik Nagappa (President) and Dr. N.Udupa (Principle of Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences). The main motive of ACPI is building the reputation of pharmacists by serving the society or community in health care.

In developing countries such as India, the major reason of patient incompliance is lack of drug information to the patients regarding to drug administration, precautions, dose and contraindications of the drugs. ACPI is now going to start Drug Information center, by this patients can inquire about drug and its mode administration at any time round the clock.

If you ask from any person- the meaning of pharmacist, definitely the answer will be the person who manufactures drugs and sale drugs at retail shop. Pharmacists have an important role to play in health care, which is much more than just manufacturing & selling medicines.

The first question every times comes in to the mind of any pharmacist is its reputation or its value in the society. But can you ask single question from yourself, what I am serving to the society? What I am doing for the humanity? Am I using and implementing my knowledge properly? And at last what I am giving to the society so that society can give me recognition just like other health care professionals?

According to latest survey conducted by pipelinereview.com, Epoetin alfa (Epogen/ESPO/Procrit/Eprex) marketed by Amgen, Kirin & Johnson & Johnson mainly used in renal and cancer anaemia remains number one top selling biological drug for the year 2007 with the annual sale of about US$ 5,764 million compared to US$ 6,024 million last year(2006).

Recently clinical trial studies done on anti-anemic drugs, marketed by Amgen and Johnson & Johnson revels increase risk of death among the cancer patients. The conflict is that whether the higher risk of death is due to blood clots or drug which is a synthetic form of a natural hormone called erythropoietin directly stimulates the growth and spread of tumor.

Cost of drug discovery and development is going increasing day by day. On an average 1 billion USD is required for the research and development of any NCE molecule (New Chemical entity or new drug molecule). The way of new drug development is changing from development of NCE molecule through its own R&D to in licensing of molecule in early stages of development from other company. External sources are rapidly becoming as important as internal R&D. There are lots of advantages of in licensing which includes addition of new products to its product pipeline and it also saves time of the company to develop new molecule.