The drugs are vital to the health of individuals and hence the drugs are classified as “essential commodity” under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The manufacture, sale and distribution etc., of drugs warrant the specialized knowledge, skill and experience.
The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945 have been passed with the objective of regulating the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs and cosmetics. Cosmetics are although a luxury item, they may contain some ingredients, the constant use of which might prove to be harmful and hence need control.
The Act regulates the manufacture and sale of drugs and cosmetics through licensing so that these are manufactured, distributed and sold only by qualified persons.
To have a check on such operations, the Central and State Drugs Control authorities are established. Prior to the enactment of this Act, any drug or cosmetic could be imported into India and hence a drug banned in the country of origin could be easily imported and sold in India.
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Now no such misbranded, adulterated or spurious drugs or drugs not of standard quality can be imported into India. The Act and Rules have been amended from time to time; the major amendment was made in 1982.
Health is a word very known to all but it also carries a lot of complications and difficulties. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply absence of any illness.
To make the above definition of health practical we have to depend upon a “health care team”. A health care team is the group of community who contribute to a common health goal and common objectives determined by community needs. India with the greatest cultural diversity, health though an important issue is being neglected due to many hindrances.
The condition is more worsened due to inappropriate drug use problems. It is in the hands of the pharmacist particularly the community pharmacist, to take up the challenge for providing better health care and better outcomes reasonably.
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Community pharmacy may be defined as that area of Pharmacy Practice or Profession in which medicines and other related products are sold or provided (dispensed) directly to the public from a retail counter intended primarily for medicines. He dispenses medicines with a prescription and in certain cases without a prescription where applicable “over the counter” (OTC).
Although community pharmacist is of key importance in providing better healthcare the patient. In India, Pharmacist has no any recognition in the healthcare system as compare to other well-established countries. For making for peaceful and well aware about the drug and disease, the need of the hour is to make community pharmacist a key towards better health care.
The community pharmacist can take part in health promotion campaigns, locally and nationally, on a wide range of drug related and health related topics.
According to the drug and cosmetic Act, the premises for the retail sale of drugs may be described as:
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1. Drug Store where the licencees do not engage the services of a qualified person or
2. Chemists and Druggists where licencees employ the services of a ‘qualified person’ but do not maintain a ‘Pharmacy’ for compounding against prescriptions, or
3. Pharmacy, Pharmacist, Dispensing Chemist, or Pharmaceutical Chemist, where the licencees employ the services of a ‘qualified person’ and maintain a Pharmacy for compounding against prescriptions.