NEW DELHI, Nov 20: The draught National Pharmacy Commission Bill, 2023, has been made public by the Union Health Ministry. Its goal is to establish a national commission in lieu of the Pharmacy Council of India and repeal the Pharmacy Act of 1948. On November 14, the ministry posted the draught bill online and invited public feedback. The proposed bill seeks to establish a pharmacy education system that increases access to reasonably priced, high-quality pharmacy or pharmaceutical education, guarantees the availability of sufficient, highly qualified pharmacy professionals nationwide, advances universal and equitable healthcare, and allows all citizens to utilise pharmacy professionals’ services.
The proposed legislation mandates strict adherence to high ethical standards in all facets of pharmacy services, facilitates the creation of an Indian pharmacy register, and evaluates pharmacy institutions on a regular and transparent basis. Additionally, it motivates pharmacy professionals to participate in research and incorporate the most recent findings into their work. The draught bill aims to establish an efficient grievance redressal system and suggests flexibility to adjust to changing needs. In order to ensure transparency, the draught states that the Pharmacy Ethics and Registration Board will keep a National Pharmacy Register with information about pharmacy professionals.
