Should Pharmacists in India Have Prescribing Rights for Minor Ailments?

General
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In several countries, pharmacists are allowed to prescribe medicines for minor ailments such as cough, cold, acidity, or skin allergies. This reduces the burden on doctors and improves patient access to healthcare. In India, pharmacists are often the first point of contact for patients—should they be given limited prescribing rights too?

MBH/AB

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Pharmacists are indeed the first point of contact for patients, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. Granting them limited prescribing rights will indeed reduce physicians’ load and improve patient care altogether.

However, there are several important considerations before this can become a reality. Are our pharmacists competitive and confident enough to take up this responsibility? If such a policy is introduced, what mechanisms would ensure safe practice and accountability? And most importantly, would government and regulatory bodies extend the necessary support, especially in the context of ongoing debates around the role and credibility of pharmacists in Indian healthcare? It is also worth noting that with limited direct patient care opportunities, many pharmacists are moving towards corporate roles.

And having said all of that, empowering pharmacists with a clearly defined clinical role, backed by structured training and supportive policies, will not only address these challenges but also re-establish their place in frontline care, ultimately strengthening India’s primary healthcare system. The key lies in striking the right balance. How ready are we to make this shift?

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In rural hilly terrains, where doctors are not available, pharmacists often step in to prescribe medications and conduct basic check-ups.

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Yes, pharmacists should be given the right to prescribe for common ailments but certain measures need to be taken before it is implemented such as

  1. They should have atleast 4-5 years of experience working in hospital pharmacy
  2. There skills should be tested before giving them the right to prescribe. One way of checking their skills is by asking them to solve a case.
  3. They should be issued a licence for prescribing medicines and the license should be cancelled in case of any discrepancy.
  4. They need to be monitored and inspected to check their adherence to the said rules and regulations.
  5. They should maintain proper documentation.
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Yes. For minor ailments pharmacist should have the rights to write prescription and this can also decrease the workload on the doctors.

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Yes, pharmacists should get limited rights for minor problems like cold, acidity or allergies. In many countries it’s already working well—it saves patient’s time and reduces doctor’s load. Since pharmacists are well trained in medicines, with proper rules and monitoring, it can make healthcare faster.

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yes pharmacist must allowed to prescribe medicines for minor aliments ln our country as we have seen many countries already implemted this and working well.As pharma students study years about human body and medicines.

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Yes, I think skilled pharmacists are necessary substitutes for doctors when it comes to aiding minor ailments and treatments. This makes the workload easier on doctors, but definitely only licensed and credible pharmacists.

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Right, In places like rural Odisha, pharmacists are already being allowed to treat minor ailments like fever, diarrhea, and skin infections especially where doctors aren’t available. Programs in countries like Canada show that pharmacist-led care can reduce costs, ease doctor workloads, and often deliver good patient outcomes. Public surveys even show many people trust pharmacists to handle simple health issues.

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For minor ailments like mentioned people do depend on pharmacists , they dont run to a doctor.

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