HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN INDIA
In
ancient India the sources of drugs were of vegetable, animal and mineral
origin. They were prepared empirically by few experienced persons. Knowledge of
that medical system was usually kept secret within a family.
There
were no scientific methods of standardization of drugs.
Muslim rule in
India
The
Indian system of medicine declined during the Muslim rule while the Arabic or
the Unani-Tibbi system flourished.
British rule in India
The
western or the so-called Allopathic system came into India with the British
traders who later become the rulers. Under British rule this system got state
patronage. At that time it was meant for the ruling race only. Later it
descended to the people and become popular by the close of 19th
Century.
Before 1940
Initially
all the drugs were imported from Europe. Later some drugs of this system began
to be manufactured in this country.
1901: Establishment of the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works,
Calcutta by Acharya P.C. Ray.
1903: A small factory at Parel (Bombay) by Prof.
T.K. Gujjar.
1907: Alembic Chemical Works at Baroda by Prof.
T.K. Gujjar.
Drugs
were mostly exported in crude form and imported in finished form. During World
War-I (1914 – 1920) the imports of drugs were cut-off. Imports of drugs were
resumed after the War. In absence of any
restrictions on quality of drugs imoported, manufacturer abroad took advantage
of the situation. The consequences were as follows:
(i)
foreign manufacturers dumped inferior quality medicines and adulterated
drugs.
(ii)
Markets were full of all sorts of useless and deleterious drugs were
sold by unqualified men.
Examples of maladies:
·
Poisoning due to quinine.
·
Putting of croton oil into eye instead of atropine solution.
·
Selling of chalk powder tablets in place of quinine.
·
Drug santonin was badly adulterated.
·
Potent drugs like compounds of antimony and arsenic and preparations of
digitalis were dispensed without any standard.
Few
laws were there having indirect bearing on drugs, but were insufficient.
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1878
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Opium
Act
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Dealt
with cultivation of poppy and the manufacture, transport, export, import and
sale of opium.
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1889
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Indian
Merchandise Act
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Misbranding
of goods in general
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1894
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Indian
Tariff Act
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Levy
of customs duty on goods including foods, drinks, drugs, chemicals and
medicines imported into India or exported there from.
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1898
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Sea
Customs Act
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Goods
with ‘false trade description’ were prevented from importing under this act.
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1919
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Poisons
Act
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Regulated
the import, possession and sale of poisons.
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Indian
Penal Code
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Some
sections of IPC have mention of intentional adulterations as punishable
offence.
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Some
state-level law had indirect references to drugs:
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1884
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Bengal
Municipal Act
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1901
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City
of Bombay District Municipal Act
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Concerned
with food.
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1909
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Bengal
Excise Act
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1911
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Punjab
Municipal Act
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1912
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United
Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) Prevention of Adulteration Act
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Refers
to adulteration of foods and drugs.
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1914
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Pujab
Excise Act
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1916
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United
Provinces Municipalities Act
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Inspection
of shops and seizure of adulterated substances.
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1919
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Bengal
Food Adulteration Act
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1919
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Bihar
and Orissa Prevention of Adulteration Act
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1919
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Madras
Prevention of Adulteration Act
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Chiefly
concerned with food adulteration
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1922
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Bihar
and Orissa Municipal Act
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1922
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Central
Provinces Municipalities Act
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1925
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Bombay
Prevention of Adulteration Act
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1929
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Punjab
Pure Food Act
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The
laws were too superficial and had indirect link to drugs.
Drug enquiry committee
Government of India on 11th
August 1930 , appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Late Col.
R.N.Chopra to see into the problems of Pharmacy in India and recommend the
measures to be taken. This committee published its report in 1931. It was
reported that there was no recognized specialized profession of Pharmacy. A set
of people known as compounders were filling the gap.
Just
after the publication of the report Prof. M.L.Schroff (Prof. Mahadeva Lal
Schroff) initiated pharmaceutical education at the university level in the
Banaras Hindu University.
In 1935 United Province Pharmaceutical Association
was established which later converted into Indian Pharmaceutical Association.
The
Indian Journal of Pharmacy was started by Prof. M.L. Schroff in 1939. All India
Pharmaceutical Congress Association was established in 1940. The Pharmaceutical
Conference held its sessions at different places to publicize Pharmacy as a
whole.
1937:
Government of India brought ‘Import of
Drugs Bill’; later it was withdrawn.
1940: Govt.
brought ‘Drugs Bill’to regulate the imort, manufacture, sale and distribution
of
drugs in British India. This Bill
was finally adopted as ‘Drugs Act of 1940’.
1941: The first Drugs Technical Advisory Board
(D.T.A.B.) under this act was constituted.
Central Drugs Laboratory was
established in Calcutta
1945: ‘Drugs Rule under the Drugs Act of 1940’ was
established.
The
Drugs Act has been modified from time to time and at present the provisions of
the Act cover Cosmetics and Ayurvedic, Unani and Homeopathic medicines in some
respects.
1945:
Govt. brought the Pharmacy Bill to standardize the Pharmacy Education in India
1946: The Indian Pharmacopoeial List was published
under the chairmanship of late Col.R.N. Chopra. It contains lists of drugs in
use in India at that time which were not included in British Pharmacopoeia.
1948:
Pharmacy Act 1948 published.
1948: Indian Pharmacopoeial Committee was
constituted under the chairmanship of late Dr. B.N. Ghosh.
1949:
Pharmacy Council of India (P.C.I.) was established under Pharmacy Act 1948.
1954:
Education Regulation have come in force in some states but other states lagged
behind.
1954: Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable
Advertisements) Act 1954 was passed to stop misleading advertisements (e.g.
Cure all pills)
1955: Medicinal and Toilet
Prepartions (Excise Duties) Act 1955 was introduced to enforce uniform duty for
all states for alcohol products.
1955:
First Edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia was published.
1985: Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act has
been enacted to protect society from the dangers of addictive drugs.
Govt.
of India controls the price of drugs in India by Drugs Price Order changed from
time to time.
CODE OF ETHICS AS DRAFTED BY
PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA (P.C.I.)
Ethics is defined as ‘code
of moral principles’. It emphasizes on the determination of right or wrong
while doing one’s duty.
Code
of Pharmaceutical Ethics as formulated by Pharmacy Council of India which are
meant to guide the pharmacist as to how he should conduct himself (or herself),
in relation to himself (or herself), his / her patrons (owner of the pharmacy),
general public, co-professionals etc. and patients.
Introduction:
Profession of Pharmacy is a
noble profession as it is indirectly healing the persons to get well with the
help of medical practitioners and other co-professionals. Government has
restricted the practice of Pharmacy to only Profession Pharmacists i.e
registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act 1948. PCI framed the following
ethics for Indian Pharmacists, which may be categorised under the following headings:
1. Pharmacist in relation to
his job.
2. Pharmacist in relation to
his trade.
3. Pharmacist in relation to
medical profession.
4. Pharmacist in relation to
his profession.
Pharmacist in relation to his job
A
pharmacist should keep the following things in relation to his job.
(i)Pharmaceutical services
Pharmacy premises (medicine
shops) should b e registered. Emergency medicines and common medicines should
be supplied to the patients without any delay.
(ii)Conduct of the Pharmacy
Error of accidental contamination in the
preparation, dispensing and supply of medicines should be checked in a
pharmacy.
(iii)Handling of Prescription
A pharmacist should receive a prescription without
any comment on it that may cause anxiety to the patient. No part of the
prescription should be changed without the consent of the prescriber. In case
of changing the prescription should be referred back to the prescriber.
(iv)Handling of drugs
A prescription should always be dispensed correctly
and carefully with standard quality drug or excipients. Drugs that have abusive
potential should not be supplied to any one.
(v)Apprentice Pharmacist
Experienced pharmacists should provide all the
facilities for practical training of the apprentice pharmacists. Until and
unless the apprentice proves himself or herself certificate should not be
granted to him / her.
Pharmacist in relation to his trade
Following
are the provisions which pharmacist should keep in mind while dealing with his
trade:
(i)Price structure
The
prices charged should be fair keeping with the quality, quantity and labour or
skill required.
(ii)Fair trade practice
Fair
practice should be adopted by a pharmacist in the trade without any attempt to
capture other pharmacist’s business.
If a
customer brings a prescription (by mistake) which should be genuinely by some
other pharmacy the pharmacist should refuse to accept the prescription.
Imitation
of copying of the labels, trade marks and other signs or symbols of other
pharmacy should not be done.
(iii)Purchase of drugs
Pharmacists
should buy drugs from genuine and reputable sources.
(iv)Advertising and Displays
The sale
of medicines or medical appliances or display of materials in undignified style
on the premises, in the press or elsewhere are prohibited.
Pharmacist
in relation to medical profession.
Following
are the code of ethics of a pharmacist in relation to medical profession:
(i)Limitation of professional activity
The professional activity of the medical practitioner as well
as the pharmacists should be confined to their own field only.
Medical practitioners should not possess drugs stores and
pharmacists should not diagnose diseases and prescribe remedies.
A pharmacist may, however, can deliver first aid to the victim
incase of accident or emergency.
(ii)Cladenstine arrangement
A pharmacist should not enter into a secret arrangement or
contract with a physician by offering him any commission or any advantages.
(iii)Liasion with
public.
A pharmacist should always maintain proper link between
physicians and people. He should advise the physicians on pharmaceutical
matters and should educate the people regarding heath and hygiene. The
pharmacist should be keep himself / herself up-to-date with pharmaceutical
knowledge from various journals or publications.
Any information acquired by a pharmacist during his
professional activities should not be disclosed to any third party until and
unless required to do so by law.
Pharmacist
in relation to his profession
Regarding to the profession the following code of ethics
should be fulfilled.
(i)Professional
vigilance
A pharmacist must abide by the pharmaceutical laws and he/she
should see that other pharmacists are abiding it.
(ii)Law-abiding citizens
The pharmacists should have a fair knowledge of the laws of
the country pertaining to food, drug, pharmacy, health, sanitation etc.
(iii)Relationship with
Professional Organizations
A pharmacist should be actively involved in professional
organization, should advance the cause of such organizations.
(iv)Decorum and
Propriety
A phrmacist should not indulge in doing anything that goes
against the decorum and propriety of Pharmacy Profession.
(v)Pharmacists Oath
A young prospective pharmacist should feel no hesitation in
assuming the following pharmacist’s oath:
·
“I promise
to do all I can to protect and improve the physical and moral well-being of
society, holding the health and safety of my community above other
considerations. I shall uphold the laws and standards governing my profession,
avoiding all forms of misinterpretation, and I shall safeguard the distribution
of medical and potent substances.
·
Knowledge
gained about patients, I shall hold in confidence and never divulge unless
compelled to do so by law.
·
I shall
strive to perfect and enlarge my knowledge to contribute to the advancements of
pharmacy and the public health.
·
I
furthermore promise to maintain my honour in all transactions and by my conduct
never bring discredit to myself or to my profession nor to do anything to
diminish the trust reposed in my professional brethren.
·
May I
prosper and live long in favour as I keep and hold to this, my Oath, but if
violated these sacred promises, may the reverse be my lot.”
SCOPE
AND POTENTIAL OF PHARMACY
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Business
1.
Drug Store
2.
Whole sale
3.
Repacking
4.
Bulk drug distribution
5.
Cosmetic manufacturing
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D. PHARM
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Service
1.
Hospital Pharmacy
2.
Chemist in Drug Store / Whole sale store
3.
Medical representative
4.
Packaging, store maintenance in Pharmaceutical Industry
5.
Secretary / PA to MD in Pharm. industry
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Business
1.
Pharmaceutical industry
2.
Bulk Drug Manufacturing
3.
Pharmacist job abraod
4.
Cultivation of medicinal plants
5.
Public testing laboratories
6.
Consultancy
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B.PHARM.
M. PHARM.
PhD
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1.
FDA job
2.
Teacher diploma courses
3.
Production
4.
Marketing
5.
Teacher for Graduate level courses
6.
Research and development
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