Guwahati: Pharmacy practitioners urge Assam CM to form pharmacy council

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Association of Advanced Pharmacy Practitioners (AAPP) moved Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, requesting him to constitute the Assam Pharmacy Council (APC) and address issues related to the pharmacy profession.

 In its memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the association said, “

Over one year has elapsed after the declaration of the result of the Assam Pharmacy Council under Section 19(a) of the Assam Pharmacy Act, 1948. It is a matter of concern that till now the Assam Pharmacy Council, under Section 19 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, has not been formed in a full-fledged way. Through this submission, we bring to your kind attention to take appropriate action in this regard and fulfil the long-awaited issue of the entire pharmacy professionals of Assam.”

The memorandum also said, “There is an urgent need to frame and notify a recruitment rule (RR) for the post of Deputy Director of Pharmacy, a Class I gazetted position, to ensure transparent, merit-based appointments. This post should be filled through proper recruitment processes conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission or Medical and Health Recruitment Board, Assam, in accordance with established norms and eligibility criteria.”

The memorandum further said, “The new prescription format as per Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, already successfully implemented by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, should be adopted immediately in Assam. This format enhances transparency, prevents medication errors, strengthens pharmacist-doctor collaboration, and – most importantly – helps curb the misuse of sedative and psychotropic drugs, which is an emerging concern in both urban and rural areas of the state.”

Another demand raised by the Association is the maintenance of a proper and verifiable government database of pharmacy students. “It is imperative to introduce a rule making it mandatory for students seeking to study pharmacy outside Assam to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Government of Assam. This step will help ensure accountability, aid in monitoring future registration requests, and prevent fraudulent or substandard qualifications,” the association said.

 The association said, “The mandatory 500 hours of practical training for diploma holders should be allowed only after the student successfully clears the exit exam, ensuring that only competent and eligible candidates are trained and prepared for professional responsibilities.”

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