European students lament practices followed at drug outlets

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-09-02
PANAJI — Mr Michael Nicholson and Ms Stephanie Pacey (University of Nottingham, UK), Ms Daniela Schlosser (University of Regensburg, Germany) and Ms Melania Meduno (University of Coimbra, Portugal) are the students of advance course in pharmacy, who will be shortly completing their pharmacy exchange programme at the Goa College of Pharmacy, which is aimed at gaining knowledge in the field, as well as study culture of the host country.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, the quartet said that they have observed curious pharmacy practices, especially at the drug outlets in Goa, which are completely different from those observed in Europe.
Ms Schlosser said that the Indian health care system is astonishing, especially with the pharmacies selling medicines not included in the prescriptions. “Our laws prohibit sale of ‘out of prescription’ medicines; such a sale is prohibited in Germany,” she added.
Mr Nicholson said that the UK laws have strong regulations for pharmacies as protected by health inspectors, while Ms Pacey said that the pharmacies in UK not only demand the signature of doctors on the prescriptions but also details of medicines such as its quantity and so on.
Speaking further, Ms Pacey said that the European pharmacies have self-service/ selection system with pick-the-shelf facility available for over the counter (OTC) medicine.
Ms Pacey, a fourth year student of M Pharm course further said that she has arrived in Goa along with her co-student, Michael under a 5-week UK Pharmacy Exchange Programme.
“Once we complete the programme, we will have to go back and narrate our experiences in the field through a report, comparing pharmacy practices in UK and India, and how they can co-operate,” Ms Pacey said, adding that the report would then be put up on the homepage of the website of the Federation of the International Pharmacy (FIP).
Ms Meduno said, “Myself and Daniela arrived in Goa due to the arrangement made by the FIP.” However, like Michael and Stephanie, we have no grants under the exchange programme, she noted.
It was also informed that India has product oriented system of pharmacy, with stress on manufacturing, testing and distribution of medicines, while Europe follows patient oriented system of pharmacy, and the visiting students will make a comparative study of both.
The visiting students also closely followed community pharmacy system followed in some pharmacies in Goa, such as the Hindu Pharmacy.
Ms Pacey stated that she has also collected information about the Ayurvedic line of treatment. “I have tried to study the scope of Ayurveda in allopathy,” she said, adding, “Besides, I have also attended the Yoga sessions during my stay in Goa.”
Ms Schlosser said that she has tried to learn the scope of the complimentary medicine, homeopathy, while Mr Nicholson said that a large number of Asian immigrants in UK have increased the demand for alternate lines of medicine.
The visitors have also tried to study the cultural aspects of Goa, including the Goan food.
After completing their courses, they will undergo a yearlong training at a pharmacy/ pharmaceutical industry in their respective countries, before taking up a job.