PHARMA LITERATI

The Gujarat State Pharmacy Council (GSPC) has wanted the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to develop a strategic plan towards achieving recognition of professional status of pharmacists at national level as trusted healthcare providers after medical professionals, in the entire healthcare system. In the background of upswing in COVID-19 infections in western countries, the respective government in each country in the west has recognized the various roles of pharmacists and their services were given deserving importance. They are considered as one of the frontline healthcare providers. But in India, their status is underrated, says a letter written to the president of the PCI by Montu Kumar Patel, president of GSPC. GSPC has put forth this demand to the PCI by considering the increasing demand for Indian medicines by US, Russia and other western countries which are experiencing escalation in COVID-19 infections. Including western nations, many countries in the world make appeal...

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), a global federation representing about three million pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists worldwide, is calling for a broader role to be played by pharmacists to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in primary healthcare. NCDs are a serious healthcare risk, demanding new answers and requiring innovative and creative solutions. Here FIP sees the need for active participation of pharmacists to provide focused interventions, specialised counselling and care coordination, improving patient engagement to achieve better outcomes in NCDs like cardiovascular conditions, asthma/COPD, diabetes and cancer. Pharmacists are already active as primary healthcare professionals in the community. We need to optimise and harness the roles of community pharmacists in the prevention, screening, referral, disease management and treatment optimisation in NCD patients, said Dominique Jordan, president, FIP. In this regard t...