Scope and Importance of Pharmaceutical
Over the years pharmacy has grown in the form of pharmaceuticals sciences through research and development processes. It is related to product as well as to services. The various drugs discovered and developed are its products and the healthcare it provides comes under the category of services.
Pharmacy involves all the stages that are associated with the drugs i.e. discovery, development, action, safety, formulation, use, quality control, packaging, storage, marketing, etc. This profession has a large socio-economic relevance to the Indian economy. In India this sector is among the future economy drivers. It is committed to deliver high quality drugs and formulations at an affordable price, so that majority of people can afford them.
This profession has a large socio-economic relevance to the Indian economy. In India this sector is among the future economy drivers. It is committed to deliver high quality drugs and formulations at an affordable price, so that majority of people can afford them. The transformation of the sector from conventional pharmacy to drug experts, which is both desired and necessary to reach the global standards, has already made commendable progress.
Liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG) have helped the Indian pharmaceutical companies to achieve international recognition. It’s remarkable to note that today several Indian pharma companies are approved by US FDA and are listed at NASDAQ.
The multibillion-dollar pharma industry grows mainly through knowledge wealth creation. This sector has transformed a lot over the years. The big pharma companies that were there about 15-20 years back are not in picture these days.
The analysis of Indian pharmaceutical sector shows that the innovative products, product life cycle management and marketing management steps taken by the pharma companies have led them to flourish. And the companies that refused to change their strategy lost the race. Cipla and Sun Pharma are two companies that are focused on new product development and have grown tremendously.
Let’s have a look today at career options in the Pharmaceutical Sciences. The course basically aims at dealing with teaching its students how to dispense and prepare medicines. Also the course makes the student aware of the drug related information to the public. The aspirants of this course will also be by the end of their course be able to give advice on health care programmes as they will be more aware of the prescriptions given by doctors. They are also able enough to evaluate drugs and drug use pattern.
Eligibility
In order to be able to pursue pharmaceutical sciences the student must have passed his Class 12 examination from CBSE, ICSE and Intermediate Vocational course with bridge course (MPC/BPC) or any other qualification approved by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) as equivalent. Although mostly all colleges would have a certain amount of cut off or a preliminary paper to clear but mostly the qualification to pursue pharmaceutical science will mostly remain the same.
PCI Recognition Required
The students of the pharmaceutical sciences will have plenty of opportunities to venture into provided they complete their courses from PCI recognised institutes. Know this, approvals required for college:
- The course of regular academic study prescribed under regulation 7 shall be conducted in an institution, approved by the Pharmacy Council of India under sub-section (1) of Section 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
- Only a student released from PCI approved college is eligible to get register in respective State Pharmacy Council, SPC to be called as registered pharmacist.
- As per the recent directions of Pharmacy Council of India, prior approval from PCI is compulsory to run D.Pharmacy course in a college.
Courses Available
A student pursuing the pharmaceutical sciences will have the opportunity to complete their education in science by doing a diploma, bachelors or post bachelors. The approved pharmacy qualifications for registration as a Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act 1948 comprise the following courses (Please scroll down for detailed careers options):
- Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) - 2 years
- Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) - 4 years
- Pharm.D & Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate) - 6 years
Career Scope for Pharmacy professionals
A career in the pharmaceutical sciences is full of opportunities. Mentioned below are some of the options a pharmacy professional can venture into:
R & D: Thr pharmacy industry is one such industry that thrives on research and development. For this option, M. Pharms and Ph.Ds are highly in demand for research of new drugs, process development, formulation, development, clinical trials and Toxicological Studies.
Analysis and Testing: Analysis and testing go hand in hand with this industry specially in order to maintain a proper Quality control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA). For the same highly skilled staff is required by companies to handle sensitive analytical dealings and sophisticated equipment.
Production and Manufacturing: the options of working in production and manufacturing are huge. One can start his/ her own venture or work for someone. Professionals for production and manufacturing are not only required by biotechnological products, surgical dressings, medical devices, equipment, ayurvedic/ homeopathic / unani medicines, veterinary medicine, etc are also the requirement for the production of cosmetics, soaps, toiletries and dental products.
Marketing: The Pharmaceuticals sales and marketing is considered to be a highly technical arena and hence one of the best when it comes to perks.
Hospitals: Although it might be a trend of the US or Canada, but it is one that seem to be setting in India as well. The pharmacists in the hospitals are the best informed individuals for prescribing a drug. Mostly in western countries, the diagnosis is made by the Doctors but the pharmacists decide the medicines and their dosage. Therefore, Pharmacy graduates have important role and can earn attractive remuneration and can occupy strategic positions.
Regulatory Bodies: There are bodies that control and regulate medicines. FDA is the regulatory body that deals with governing and implementing the rules and regulations for the Drug and Pharmaceutical industry. The post of Drug Inspector, Asst. Drug Controller, Deputy Drug Controller, Drug Controller of state and finally D.C. I. (Drug Controller of India) is an option one can aspire for.
Colleges offering Pharma Courses:
- NIPER, Mohali
- University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University
- Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal
- Bombay College of Pharmacy, Kalina, Mumbai
- JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty
- University College of Pharmaceutical Sci, Kakatiya University, Warangal
- L.M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sci, Dr. H.S. Gour University, Sagar, MP
- Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai
- Pharmacy Group, BITS, Pilani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, IT-BHU
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BIT Mesra, Ranchi
- JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research, Delhi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
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