Hyderabad: With clinical pharmacists not being appointed in government hospitals, the Pharmacy Council of India has amended its provisions whereby they can be incorporated in the healthcare sector with more powers apart from merely dispensing drugs.
The clinical pharmacists can take the role of drug information personnel whereby the introduction of new medicines can be evaluated for any adverse drug effect.
With new drugs in the form of chemical, biological and other regenerative medicines being created in the hospitals it is becoming important to have pharmacists whose understanding of the drug can help the patients.
The approval of the ministry of health and family welfare requires the implementation by the state government. A senior health official in the state government department said, “The state has to allocate budget, create posts and allot them. Till that is done it is only an order from the central health ministry.”
Dr Sai Kumar Katam, national president of the Doctor of Pharmacy Association, said, “The first step for ensuring clinical pharmacists get a place in the hospitals is cleared by the order of the centre. We are now going to work with the state government to get it implemented.”
Presently only the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers are appointing clinical pharmacists in their hospitals. These are only 30 private hospitals in the country who have procured this accreditation.
Clinical pharmacists can take the role of drug information personnel whereby the introduction of new medicines can be evaluated for any adverse drug effect.
