- The words “chemists and druggists”, coined in 1945 and appearing on the signboards of medical shops will soon have to be replaced with the word “pharmacy”.
- The government’s top advisory body on drugs, ‘Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has approved changing the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to bring uniformity to medical store signboards. Repeated requests were made to amend the Rule 65(15)(b) and Rule 65(15)(c) so that medical shops can be called a ‘pharmacy’and finally it was approved.
- The change was deliberated and recommended by the 55th Drug Consultative Committee meeting held in January and March this year.
- According to the Dr S Eswara Reddy, drugs controller general of India, stores are using different nomenclatures and there was a need to bring in uniformity. Globally, the word pharmacy is used and widely accepted, so we decided to do the same. The term ‘chemists and druggists’ has lost relevance and also, at present, the word ‘drug’ is looked upon as more clandestine and as addiction for chemicals, hence, not suitable to refer a professional pharmacist.
