08-07-2025
CBI probe into PCI chief reignites push for pharmacy commission bill
Ahmedabad: With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now probing Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) president Montu Patel over alleged corruption in pharmacy college approvals, there is a renewed push for the passage of the long-pending National Pharmacy Commission Bill.
An expert panel, constituted by the ministry of health & family welfare to review the Pharmacy Act, 1948, flagged the issue repeatedly before the govt. The committee warned them of systemic weaknesses in the existing framework and alleged irregularities in the PCI's functioning — issues now under formal investigation by the CBI.
In its communication from Feb, addressed to the PMO, the panel flagged that the Pharmacy Act, 1948, was outdated, lacked enforcement clarity, and offered no academic representation in the PCI.
It cited repeated court observations on the council's inefficiencies and advocated for a complete overhaul on the lines of the National Medical Commission.
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The draft bill was already finalised after public consultation but has yet to be tabled in Parliament. With Patel now accused of manipulating inspection norms, bypassing due process, and exerting undue control over the executive committee, experts say the delay in passing the bill has allowed cracks in the system to deepen.
