Hyderabad: With the Centre demanding that doctors prescribe generic medicines, the Indian Pharmaceutical Association wants chemists stores to be staffed by qualified pharmacists.
The association said the names of the generic medicines must tbe known to the pharmacy staff, and they must be able to dispense the right medicines.
Presently, most pharmacists in medical stores are diploma holders and their knowledge of drugs and their contents is stated to be very poor.
Mr J. Jayseelan of the IPA has written to the government that only a graduate in pharmacy would know all the pharmacological names of the medicines and their various uses. It was necessary that pharmacy graduates be employed, he said.
Dr Sai Kumar of the association said, “The mandatory presence of registered pharmacists is required for patient safety in all the medical stores. In case there is a changed version of the drug, only a qualified pharmacist will be able to give the right medicine. It will ensure the legality and safety.
The All India Chemists and Druggists Association also stated that there were qualified pharmacists but these are only diploma holders at the store level.
