G O I interest in Hospital Pharmacy
GOI had taken interest in Hospital pharmacy. But ....?
As I was trying to clean up my system I came acros an interesting piece of information under HEALTH MANAGEMENT saved into my system on Saturday, September 16, 2006.
This is a piece of press collection I had stored in my system. I really felt elated at the statement of the DCGI Dr Aswini Kumar. But, as has been my experience this too died out and merged into pages of history like many of our IPCA resolutions. Yet I suggest the young pharmacists should pick up the thread from this and start working till the hospital pharmacy becomes a reality in India, in the best interest of the patients.
Centre moots regulation for hospital pharmacy
Jayashree Padmini - New Delhi
Taking cue from the NHRC Report following the IV Fluid controversy at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi in 1997, the Ministry of Health is in the process of framing separate guidelines for hospital pharmacy.
The Drug Controller General of India Dr Ashwini Kumar told Express Healthcare Management that the guidelines are under active discussion in the Health Ministry. “The government plans to begin with regulating the functions of pharmacies at large government hospitals, which then will be followed up with other hospitals in a phased manner,” the DCGI clarified.
Sources say the guideline being worked out aims at:
Developing policies and procedures for the procurement of multi-source medicine items and inventory
control, receipt handling, storage, quality control, distribution and dispensing, etc.
Major emphasis would be given on ensuring continuous education, emergency services,
documentation and good storage practices.
As a first step,
The health ministry, based on the feedback received from experts, is contemplating to set up a pharmacy and therapeutic committee comprising of pharmacists, medical doctors, clinicians and experts in microbiology and pharmacology.
The committee is expected to deliberate upon the crucial aspect of procurement and other related policy matters.
The committee would also look at deliberating and framing proper guidelines to eliminate purchase of irrational drugs, misuse of drugs, selling of expired drugs, high purchase price and theft & pilferage. Developing a formulary based on the recommendations of this committee is also being sought.
According to sources,
Setting up computerized drug information centers, employing qualified personnel, setting up patient counseling centers and training department, etc., are all set to enter the mandatory list depending on the size of the hospital. There would be strict stipulations as to the location, space requirements,storage space and conditions, distribution, facilities for safety, sanitation and the like - a health ministry official elaborated.
I appeal to the stalwarts in pharmacy to take this issue forward.
Pl let me know who would take up this cause.
I will be happy if who ever reads this gives wide circulation to this piece of information, for others to act upon.
Thank you
Groups:
GOI interest in Hospital Pharmacy ?
Dear Friend,
We the pharmacists of India dreaming all such things from long time. Various committees set up by GOI given reports for the betterment of pharmacies in hospitals in public interest from time to time. But all reports submitted by these committees find their place in Dustbin. Their is no intention of GOI to improve the quality of pharmacy in India.
A pharmacy is managed by a pharmacist and about 25% of budget allocated is used on medicines only. But term "Pharmacist" does not find any place in Health Policy 2002.
A pharmacy or drug store is managed by pharmacist. Pharmacy act says that only a registered pharmacist can dispense medicine but in wards of govt. hospital this is not obeyed.
Now come to purchase. Medicines in Indian govt. hospitals are purchased by Doctors. I do not understand why a Pharmacist is not given power to purchase medicines. Because a pharmacist have much more knowledge about medicines like drug interaction, side effects and proper storage conditions.
Why not posts are created for upto Chief pharmacist in hospitals. And why not give full charge of pharmacy to Chief pharmacist.
Prescription monitoring is the need of today. Unofficially a pharmacist do this. Their are seen regular mistakes in day to day prescriptions in a hospital.
Here i mentioned only those things which were advocated by various committees.
Thanks for devoting time in reading this........
GOI interest in pharmacy
Well dear Mr Bhupendra,
There are people sitting in powerful chair with no power to use. Likewise there are people who are in powerless chair using power.
You are right, Pharmacist is needed to dispense drugs. Does the Act demands Pharmacist for bulk stocking and bulk distribution?
My experience is unless we prove our metal and our capability with integrity power never comes.
Lets stop grudging doctors. In some states even doctors power of purchase is being snatched away by non-medical administrators. These administrators are supported by doctors and pharmacists alike.
Purchase process needs administrative experience. It is not like a chemist buying medicines. Even doctors have failed.
What pharmacist should do is, study the entire procurement and financial policy of the institution and slowly expose his knowledge authoritatively and supportive to the institution.
Automatically master key of procurement falls into his lap!
Dear Bhagavan, You are right
Dear Bhagavan,
You are right here for most of the points. But in my opinion everything related to medicines should be handed over to Pharmacists because he knows medicines better than any one else.
My dear it always come to notice that medicines looses its potency. Why this happens? This happens because of proper storage conditions are not mentioned. You will agree that almost all medicines are to be stored at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees centigrades. But in India where room temperature reaches upto 48 degree centigrades can any one maintain potency? Why AC are not installed in medicines stores? Answer is simply that management is not in pharmacists hands. They have to look at the face of Doctors and to request repeatedly but of no use.
GOI interest in pharmacy - contnd.
Quote:
'But in my opinion everything related to medicines should be handed over to Pharmacists because he knows medicines better than any one else' ...
This is the area where I moved very cautiously through out my 3 decades of service.
How can the pharmacist [B Pharma and D Pharm] claim that they know medicine better than anyone else. Such a feeling is not just a bad ego but is audacity and is in a bad taste that triggers conflict.
The knowledge of medicine is of three folds.
1. Pharmaceutics: making, handling, storage, dispensing
2. Pharmacology: A general study of generic molecules to know pharmaco dynamics and kinetics
3. Therapeutics: Actual use and application of medicines selectively specific to individual patient in the backdrop of the patients complaint, clinical observation and laboratory findings.
So lets not stress pass but confine to maintain and manage the drugs up to the dispensing point.
Clinical pharmacy is a specialty in pharmacy and cannot be equated to hospital pharmacy.
Clinical pharmacist's protocols and SOP are totally different from that of a hospital pharmacist.
As regards your point on storage, the system is the culprit. The drugs Act insists only on a refrigerator to store certain drugs. It should be amended that the entire drugs storage area should be maintained at temperature no exceeding 30 degrees.
Look at the transport vehicles carrying drugs parked in a curb on high ways in the hot sun. the crew takes a nap in a shadow and the vehicle is left in the hot sun. Don't you think this issue also needs to be addressed.
With all said and done, my desire stands and let the discussion go on that issue.
some one please pick up the thread from the letter of DCI and take up the matter with GOI.
good wishes.
You are right but .............
My dear you are right that a B. pharma or D. pharma may not have more knowledge then any one else.
I am saying that everything related to medicines should be handed over to Pharmacists. This means is that why not create posts in Hospitals and where ever required for giving complete charge of medicines to pharmacists. We have pharmacy education upto Phd level. You would agree that a Phd holder have much more knowledge than a doctor. Why not hospitals start manufacturing there own medicines. This will prove economical and efficient.
A doctors role is to diagnose a disease. Let them do their job. And job of a pharmacist is to handle medicines. Let pharmacists dot their job, simply.