Formation of Drug Regulatory Authority demanded

PESHAWAR: Pharmacy Students Association and Pakistan Pharmacist Association on Monday demanded of provincial government and health department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to implement National Health Policy by appointing clinical pharmacist for each 50 beds in all provincial hospitals.

Shahid Zaman, general secretary of PSA and Sajjad Ali Khan, general secretary of PPA addressing joint news conference here at Press Club said that retail pharmacy stores should not be registered and allowed to operate in the absence of a professional pharmacist.

They suggested that the provincial government should formulate laws and regulations to ensure presence of pharmacists at all times in retail pharmacy stores. They demanded implementation of guideline to constitute Drug Information and Poison Control Centre at all district level hospitals.

They added that patients would be treated effectively in the said centre instead of emergency department in hospital.

They demanded that Drug Regularity Authority (DRA) should be the federal subject and government should amend laws in the proposed 20th amendment relating to it. They added provincial government should take benefit of pharmacists as more than 1000 graduates in this field were available for services.