Don’t compete with patent medicine dealers, PCN cautions pharmacists

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The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has warned pharmacists to avoid the temptation of competing with patent medicine dealers, if they hope to remain relevance in the profession.

Speaking during the launch of the Young Pharmacists Mentoring Programme organised by the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm.) on 22 March, 2015, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Pharm Elijah Mohammed, PCN registrar explained to participants that their primary duty is to provide service, not make money.

“Don’t be like patent medicine dealers. You can never beat them in their game. They are there to make money, you are there for service. If you learnt that some products are sold cheaper than yours, don’t rush to readjust the prices,” he admonished.

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L-R: Pharm Lekan Asuni, managing director of GlaxoSmithKline; Sir Ike Onyechi, NAPharm treasurer; Pharm Ahmed Yakasai, PSN president and Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, NAPharm vice president (South)

 

The registrar also spoke on the perennial agitation of pharmacy technicians (Pharm Techs) for recognition, saying that the case had been resolved.

“Following years of complaint by Pharm Techs that they had been neglected, I am happy to say that the law has now been reviewed to accommodate them. We however warn that they will still need to work directly under the supervision of a pharmacist,” he noted.

On how to ascertain whether a pharmacist is registered or not, Mohammed stressed that the PCN register had been digitalised. He explained that with the touch of a button, anybody can access information on the council website from any part of the world.

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“For instance, if you want to ascertain whether a certain Pharm. Mohammed is in our register, just punch in the name ‘Mohammed’ and you will have a download of every Mohammed on our register. It is that simple,” he stated.

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