NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released a draft of the National Pharmacy Commission Bill, seeking public feedback. The proposed legislation brings stringent measures including a fine of Rs 5 lakh and imprisonment for up to one year for unqualified pharmacists selling medicine.

If passed, the Bill will replace the existing National Pharmacy Council and State Councils with the Pharmacy Commission. The focus is to prohibit unqualified individuals from practicing pharmacy. Unlike the 1948 bill, this new law emphasizes mandatory registration for pharmacists and aims to ensure affordable, high-quality pharmacy education and availability of professionals across the country.

Key highlights of the Bill include:

- Establishment of the Pharmacy Commission headquartered in New Delhi, dissolving the Indian Pharmacy Council.

- Composition of the Commission with a Chairperson, 13 ex-officio members, and 14 part-time members. It will oversee various boards such as Pharmacy Education, Assessment and Rating, and Ethics and Registration.

- Assessment of pharmacy professionals' competency based on their final year graduation examination.

The responsibilities of the Commission will involve:

- Registering, licensing and ensuring the qualification standards of pharmacy professionals.

- Evaluating educational standards, facilities, training, and research along with supervising and regulating pharmacy institutions and professionals.

- Requiring each state to form a State Pharmacy Chapter within a year of the Act's enactment.

- Establishing a Board of Pharmacy Education responsible for setting education standards and curricula as well as supervising registered pharmacy professionals' practices.

- Mandating approval from the Pharmacy Assessment and Rating Board before starting pharmacy institutes or courses. This Board will also conduct assessments, issue warnings, impose fines and withdraw accreditation for non-compliant pharmacy establishments.