Pharmacy Education in India

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2010; 74 (4) Article 68.

SPECIAL ARTICLES Pharmacy Education in India
Subal C. Basak, MPharm, and Dondeti Sathyanarayana, PhD
Department of Pharmacy, Annamalai University
Submitted August 16, 2009; accepted October 25, 2009; published May 12, 2010.

Pharmacy education in India traditionally has been industry and product oriented. In contrast to the situation in developed nations, graduate pharmacists prefer placements in the pharmaceutical industry. To practice as a pharmacist in India, one needs at least a diploma in pharmacy, which is awarded after only 2 years and 3 months of pharmacy studies. These diploma-trained pharmacists are the mainstay of pharmacy practice. The pharmacy practice curriculum has not received much attention. In India, there has been a surge in the number of institutions offering pharmacy degrees at various levels and a practicebased doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program was started in some private institutions in 2008. However, relatively little information has been published describing the current status of complex pharmacy education of India. In this paper we describe pharmacy education in India and highlight major issues in pharmacy practice including deficiencies in curriculum. The changing face of the profession is discussed, including the establishment of the PharmD program. The information presented in this paper may stimulate discussion and critical analysis and planning, and will be of value in further adaptation of the pharmacy education to desired educational outcomes.
Keywords: pharmacy education, pharmacy practice, India

INTRODUCTION
India, a developing nation that occupies the greater part of South Asia, is a sovereign, secular republic consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories.1 With a population of approximately 1.2 billion,2 India is the second most populous country on the planet. In India, formal pharmacy education leading to a degree began with the

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All India Council for Technical Education. http://www.aicteindia.org/. Accessed April 14, 2010. 15. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules there under 1945, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. http://www.cdsco.nic.in/html/Drugs&CosmeticAct.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2010. 16. Hepler CD, Strand LM. Opportunities and responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1990;47:533-543. SUMMARY Pharmacy education in India, both at the BPharm and MPharm levels, is taught as an industry- and productoriented profession with a focus on the basic sciences.23 During the past decade, pharmacy education has expanded significantly in terms of number of institutions offering pharmacy program at various levels. However, pharmacy education in India continues to be one of the last options for students aspiring to a university degree. The pharmacists with a BPharm or MPharm generally seek avenues other than pharmacy practice. These pharmacists prefer placements in production, regulatory affairs, management and/ or quality assurance, and marketing with the pharmaceutical industry. Only small numbers of these graduates and postgraduates opt to work in community and institutional pharmacies. In India, diploma holders (DPharm holders) are practicing pharmacists in the global sense as they engage in community or institution pharmacy practice. A specialized MPharm in pharmacy practice program launched in the 1990s failed to create employment opportunities in practice areas for these postgraduates. The main change that is currently affecting pharmacy practice is the introduction of the PharmD program in India. One thousand four hundred ten students have enrolled in 47 colleges (mostly private sector) localized in a small geographical part (South India) of India. 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