Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill deems J&K pharmacy registrations valid under central act

This Bill amends the Pharmacy Act, 1948 to clarify that individuals registered under the old Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011, or those who possess the prescribed qualification (medical assistant/pharmacist) under that Act, are deemed registered under the central Pharmacy Act. It aims to resolve ambiguity regarding the registration status of these individuals in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Who it concerns: Persons registered under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011, and persons who possess the qualification of medical assistant or pharmacist prescribed under that Act, specifically within the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

What the bill does

• Inserts a new section 32C into the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
• Deems persons registered under the J&K Pharmacy Act, 2011 or possessing its prescribed qualification as registered under the central Pharmacy Act.
• Requires an application to be made within one year from the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 2023.
• Requires payment of a fee and adherence to a manner prescribed by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and the Administration of Ladakh.

Also in the document

• The Bill addresses ambiguity created by previous Statutory Orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 2020.
• The amendment was discussed with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the respective departments of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.