ACCORDING to the Pharmacy Act, 1967, a pharmacist is a person registered under Section 24 in register A or register B. Those holding a five-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degree from recognised universities are enrolled in register A, while those who hold a diploma or pass ‘some’ examination in Pharmacy find their place in in register B.

It is beyond comprehension as to how a person without any formal education in pharmacy could be declared a pharmacist in the 21st century. There is a great deal of difference between a professionally qualified pharmacist and an assistant pharmacist or pharmacy technician. No Pharmacy technician is allowed to run a pharmacy independently in any part of the developed world.

The role of pharmacists is manifold. They are easily accessible to people for any information related to drugs or diseases without any prior appointment as is the case with physicians. They can advise people about lifestyle management, and, hence, can contribute to larger efforts to decrease the disease burden in society.

Pharmacists in the developed world also advise patients on minor ailments by providing cognitive services, like blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring and vaccination for a variety of diseases.

In fact, in many countries, they are also authorised to prescribe from a list of approved minor ailments and give over the counter (OTC) drugs to their patients, which still remains a distant dream in Pakistan.

They are the frontline warriors in the fight against substandard and spurious drugs by ensuring reliable sources for drug procurement and complying with ethical practices.

It is a pity that pharmacists getting a five-year rigorous education are still being registered with their respective provincial Pharmacy Council along with matriculate equivalents who appear for selection as assistant pharmacists without any regular training.

According to a study, only five per cent pharmacists are available at pharmacies. Ensuring the presence of pharmacists at pharmacies is the duty of regulatory bodies, but the implementation of rules and regulations is weak.

One can only hope that the critical profession would one day get the due recognition in the country that it deserves.

Dr Farooq Bashir Butt
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2025