ROLE OF PHARMACY EDUCATION IN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

A strong healthcare system is a backbone for the growth of any country. To develop a strong
healthcare system we have to work on several areas like, social awareness among the masses
regarding the healthcare support system available in the country, health care centers,
availability of doctors, availability of medicines, life style of individuals, cleanliness of
working areas, fooding habit, economical condition of the people etc. In India we have
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mainly a three tier pharmacy education system, viz. Diploma in Pharmacy, Bachelor of
Pharmacy and Master in Pharmacy. Pharmacy education in India is governed by the
Pharmacy Council of India, a separate wing of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of
India. Diploma in Pharmacy is the minimum qualification for a pharmacist in India. Presently
more than seventeen lakh registered pharmacists are there in our country. Pharmacists are the
persons in the healthcare system, which are in direct contact with the patients. They are used
to dispense the medicine according to the prescriptions. Patients get instructions from
pharmacists, how to take the medicines, what precautions we have to observe, which
medicine should be taken in empty stomach, which should not be taken in the empty stomach
etc. Pharmacists reduce the Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) by reporting the case to doctors or
concerned authority at an early stage. In rural areas the people are not aware about the side
effects of Over the Counter (OTC) drugs. It is the pharmacist who can make them aware. In
India, self-medication is a major issue, which causes ADR, drug resistance and other side
effects including death. All of these issues can be minimized by the pharmacist.
After doing bachelor of pharmacy, the candidates are mainly engaged in production in
pharmaceutical industries. However after getting masters in pharmacy they are placed in
research and development cell of pharmaceutical companies or in various research centers
like Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, Drug Research Laboratory, Pune etc.
The leading pharmaceutical companies like Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., Alembic
Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Biocon Ltd., Cipla Ltd., Suven Life Sciences Ltd. Etc. have their own
R & D centers. Pharmaceutical R&D wing produces new drugs and provides the suitable
molecule for the cure of diseases with utmost safety. During the clinical trial of new drugs,
again the role of pharmacist can’t be denied.
Starting from the discovery of new drugs to the market and finally to the patients, the role of
pharmaceutical education is very crucial, they are acting as researchers, manufacturers,
quality control managers, pharmacists etc. Therefore, pharmacy education plays an important
role in establishing a well-organized health care system in the country.
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Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar
Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy