In order to set standards in pharmacy education and to bring about an ethics code in pharmacy practice, the health ministry will soon review the draft on M Pharm and pharmacy practice regulations framed by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). Once made functional, M Pharm regulation would help the pharmacy institutes address gaps in the delivery of education in a qualitative manner. It would also bring about standards in terms of teacher- student ratio and the infrastructure required.

However, it is being expected that the M Pharm regulation meant to ensure quality assurance in post graduate studies, will most likely meet stiff resistance from the pharmacy colleges who don't have funds to meet the requisite standards in terms of staff and infrastructure and hence quality assurance.

Besides this, implementation of the practice regulation will benefit the patients in a big way as it will draw an ethics mode for the pharmacist to be followed as a part of his/her responsibility to educate patients about the medicines prescribed by the doctor.The said regulation will bring under its purview all pharmacy professionals working in regulatory bodies, drug stores and academic institutions to cater to patient well being.

In order to further boost the professional development of pharmacists, PCI has also set aside funds for Continuing Education Programme (CEP) in which an institute or state pharmacy council is entitled to get Rs 25,000 for running the CEP programme having a participation of 100 pharmacists.

With the upcoming trend of industry driven drug discovery and development, the decision to review regulations have come at a right time.