Gujarat State Pharmacy Council Suspends Registrations Of 5 Pharmacists For Renting Out

Mumbai, 27 May 2019: As a major deterrent to pharmacists, the Gujarat State Pharmacy Council (GSPC) has suspended registrations of five pharmacists for renting out certificates to retail pharmacies after being employed elsewhere in violation of Pharmacy Act, 1948. GSPC has around 70,000 registered pharmacists and there are 25, 000 retail licensees in the state of Gujarat.

GSPC officials have been witnessing an increasing trend of pharmacists renting out certificates to retail drug stores to earn extra income which is detrimental to patient safety, as per GSPC officials.

Pharmacy Act empowers state council to take action ranging from issuing warning letters to temporarily and permanently canceling registrations of pharmacists for professional misconduct. The state council executive committee has quasi judicial powers to take action against the offending pharmacists as per section 36 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948.

Executive committee meetings are held every month to take actions against the pharmacists as per the act. As per the provision, executive committee can give judgment based on the inspection report filed by the state food and drug administration, oath of affidavit and explanation by the pharmacist.

As per provisions of Section 32(2) of the Pharmacy Act 1948, registration is granted to eligible students by the state council. Accordingly, applications of students who pass diploma or degree from an institute approved by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) under Section 12 of the Pharmacy Act are accepted.

Some of the applicants are also registered pharmacists of other states who seek transfer to a particular council after fulfilling the requisite rules under the Act. In such cases, letter is sent to the institute for confirming qualification of the concerned applicant. 

When it is confirmed that the applicant is a registered pharmacist of the respective state council, letter is sent to them for seeking No Objection Certificate (NOC) confirming details of the candidate like his name, registration number, qualification on which he is registered, date of birth, etc. Pharmabiz