Pharmacy Profession in Bangladesh: Future Prospects and Challenges

Dr. Md. Moklesur Rahman Sarker

M. Pharm., Ph. D. (Japan)
BACKGROUND



Pharmacy is a multi-disciplinary subject composed of all aspects of drugs including its manufacturing, synthesis, quality
control and quality assurance, marketing, handling, safety matters, patients care, invention, and public awareness for the
rational utilization of drugs, etc. At present 6 public and 22 private universities provide Pharmacy education in
Bangladesh. Bangladeshi universities offer 4 years B. Pharm. and 1 year M. Pharm. degrees. Few universities are going to
introduce 5 years Pharmacy course termed as Pharm. D. degree in order to cope with the international job requirement as
well as to comply with international Pharmacy education level. An estimated data resulted that at present 1260 Pharmacy
graduates are coming out from private and 200 from public universities per year. The number of graduate Pharmacists
from private and public universities is increasing day by day and the present figure will greatly increase in near future
with the inauguration of Pharmacy education in the private universities where Pharmacy department has not yet been
opened. The enhanced number of out coming graduate Pharmacists demands the need for opening the new job arenas in
Bangladesh, as many prospective fields of Pharmacy profession have not yet been introduced in our country.













































Job scope of Pharmacists
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550
Pharma i ndustri es
Pharma marketi ng
Teachi ng i n uni versi ti es
esearch organi zati on
Hi gher educati on
abroad
Jobs i n abroad
Others
Number of employed Pharmacists
Total graduation/year = 1460 (Approx.)
Total employment/year = 980 (Approx.)
R
PRESENT EMPLOYMENT OF PHARMACISTS



Pharmaceutical industries (Finished medicines, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients/APIs, and Excipients
OVERALL JOB SCOPES OF PHARMACISTS
Manufacturing industries): In Production, Quality Control (QC), Quality Assurance (QA), Product Development
(PD), cGMP Training, Warehouse, Drug Research and Invention, and Technical Services Department (TSD).

Pharmaceutical Marketing: Product Management Department (PMD), Medical Services Department (MSD), Sales
Promotion/Medical Promotion, Clinical Services, Training for field forces, and International Marketing (IM) departments.
Drug Regulatory Affairs
Hospital Pharmacy (Govt. and Private Hospitals)*
Academic positions (govt. and private universities)
Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh

Drug Administration (Directorate General of Drug Administration of Bangladesh)

Drug Testing Laboratories (Dhaka and Chittagong)
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H


uge opportunities in abroad (jobs, research, and teaching)
Community Pharmacy*


linical Pharmacy* C

Retail & Chain Pharmacy*
Research & Development in Pharma industries, educational and research institutes (Research for new drug
molecules, Novel Drug Delivery Systems, Improved Healthcare, Clinical aspects, etc.)

[Most of the Pharmacists in the countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia, European countries, India, Arabian countries including
Saudi Arabia, etc. are working in *marked areas, on the contrary, these potential aspects of Pharmacy profession have not yet been
introduced in Bangladesh]










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PRESENT JOB SCOPES
Private
Hospitals
Pharmaceutical
Marketing
Pharmaceutical
Industry
Academic positions
in the universities
Regulatory
Affairs
Research & Job
opportunities
in abroad
P Pr re es se en nt t J Jo ob bs s
Drug Administration
Drug Testing
Laboratories



FUTURE PROSPECTS WITH NEW EXCITING JOB AREAS

Community
Pharmacy

Retail and
Chain
Pharmacy

Pharma
Sales
Promotion

API and
Excipients
based plants
Ayurvedic,
Unani and
Herbal
industries for
better drugs
Chemical
and
cosmetic
industries


Food
industries
New Drug
Research in
Pharma
companies and
other institutes


Clinical
Pharmacy




Hospital
Pharmacy




















Pharmacists all over the world are working in almost all the areas presented in the above diagram. Unfortunately, none of
the above areas has not yet opened in our country. Introduction of some of the above areas may create huge job
opportunity for graduate Pharmacists in near future.




PRESENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR NEW PHARMACISTS

Job crisis in the Pharmaceutical industries:

The pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh has developed in the manufacturing of finished pharmaceutical
products; the API and Excipients based industries have not yet remarkably advanced in this country. So,
Bangladeshi Pharmacists have job scope limited to pharmaceutical finished products manufacturing industries.
At present, industrial jobs also are saturated or will saturate soon. Therefore, getting entrance of new
Pharmacists to Pharmaceutical Industries become quite tough or have narrow scope for new Pharmacists.

Eligibility Problem of Bangladeshi Pharmacists in abroad:

The present Pharmacy education system of Bangladesh does not comply with the international requirements for
jobs and higher studies in many countries. For example, United States of America demands for Pharm. D.
degree for practicing Pharmacy profession. At present, it is not possible even to sit for the pre-qualifying
examination to become a licensed Pharmacist (RPh) in USA without Pharm. D. degree. The scenario is same in
UK too. Many countries including J apan require total schooling year 18 with the completion of M. Pharm.
degree for the enrollment in Ph. D. course. But still the total schooling year is 17 in Bangladesh including the
completion of M. Pharm. degree. Because of this lack many students could not catch govt. scholarship for Ph.D.
study.

Eligibility challenge of Pharmacists to work in APIs and Excipients manufacturing industries:

Most of the Pharmacists are currently working in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical finished drugs. As those industrial
jobs have already been occupied, the new job scopes may be created with the introduction of manufacturing operations in
the API plants of proposed API Park. But the challenging matter is that are the pharmacists ready or can they cope with
the technical know how for the manufacturing and synthesis of raw materials in API industries? If not, we should make
our new Pharmacy graduates to be suitable for API industries. For the expertise handling of this technical area, the
pharmacists should be accustomed with their possible role and technical know how in order to work in this segment of
Pharmaceutical industry.

J

obs of Pharmacists in abroad becoming tough day by day:
US Government opened the door of Pharmacists as immigrant in mid 1970s. Bangladeshi Pharmacists were able to get
direct registration for the practice of Pharmacy profession up to late 1980s. That exclusive opportunity has already been
closed. Now, Bangladeshi Pharmacists have to sit for the registration examination if they have Pharm. D. degree,
otherwise they cant even sit for the prequalifying examination for registration.

Obtaining professional registration is mandatory in other countries like UK, Canada, J apan, Australia, and other countries
as well.

Bangladeshi Pharmacists could get jobs in Middle East countries up to 1990 in the hospitals and retail chain pharmacies.
These opportunites also have decreased significantly for Bangladeshi Pharmacists because of the competitors from other
countries.

WTO/TRIPS patent exemption for Bangladeshi Pharmaceuticals: suspension or renewal- possible
influence on Pharmacy profession:

Bangladesh has exempted patent exemption for products manufacturing up to 2016 to fulfill the local demand
and export to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). There is a possibility to withdraw this exclusive opportunity
after this period. If Bangladesh loses the patent exemption opportunity after 2016, the price of patented
medicines may be very costly in Bangladesh, and for the reduction of production cost of medicines the
manufacturers may reduce employment of Pharmacists in the manufacturing industries. This may impose a
negative influence on the future Pharmacy profession in Pharmaceutical industries in Bangladesh. However, if
Bangladesh luckily gets WTO/TRIPS patent exemption for next 5-10 years along with other LDCs, the job
opportunity trend of Pharmacists will be normal as presently existing. In this case, it would be good for
pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh if Pharmacists are hugely employed by the pharmaceutical industries for
maximum utilization of patent-exemption opportunity to capitalize and bags the patented products as many as
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possible by adopting new formulation of patented products, introducing as many patented APIs as possible,
and by exporting those active ingredients and finished products to other LDCs to get maximum revenue from
abroad. This may crease a healthy employment opportunity for Pharmacists. This issue is quite uncertain and
under observations.





RECOMMENDATIONS / STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN
Introduction of Hospital Pharmacy The sooner the better for the betterment of public health:

Government gazetted officers have been employed from Physicians (as Medical Officers), Engineers, Agriculturists
(Agriculture Officers), Veterinary doctors, Graduates from Fisheries (Fisheries Officers), Statistics, etc. in every upazila,
district and divisional levels. But its a matter of great regret that, till now, no Pharmacist has been employed as a gazetted
officer in any upazila or district or divisional levels in the hospitals by the govt. although involvement of graduate
Pharmacists in Govt. Health Complex is very essential for the proper handling, dispensing, storage and management of
drugs. The government of Bangladesh should take an immediate step for the employment of registered Pharmacists in
primary healthcare level (upazila health complex), secondary healthcare level (district health complex), and tertiary
healthcare level (divisional health complex) for the rational utilization and better health management of countrys people.
Thus the employment of 600 Pharmacists may be provided soon and the quality of drug management in the govt.
hospitals may be ensured.

Appointment of Pharmacists in every Upazila as Drug Super and Drug Inspector:

Directorate General of Drug Administration of Bangladesh has great lack of manpower for the monitoring of drug
production in large numbers of Allopathic, Ayurvedic, and Unani medicines manufacturing industries and numerous
pharmacies distributed all over the country. According to the information of the Directorate General of Drug
Administration (DGDA) of Bangladesh website, DGDA has offices of Drug Superintendent only in 34 districts (out of 64
districts) all over the country. The Drug Administration does not have Drug Superintendent even in every district let alone
every Upazila. It is impossible to control the production and marketing of drugs with this less manpower all over the
country. As a result, Drug Administration does not have strict controlling power on pharmaceutical industries and retail
and wholesale pharmacies. Yet its a matter of hope that the present Govt. has taken initiative recently and DGDA is on
the process for the recruitment of Drug Supers and Drug Inspectors. According to the available information, the Govt. is
not going to appoint Drug Super in any Upazila. Without Drug Super in Upazila level, it would not be possible to control
the drugs strictly. Therefore, the govt. should take immediate steps to appoint graduate Pharmacists to rest of the districts
(30 districts), and one Pharmacist as Drug superintendent as well as two Pharmacists as Drug Inspectors in each of 483
Upazilas all over the country for better control and rational utilization of drugs.

Emphasis should be given on Community Pharmacy practice:


India has 5 Lacs (out of 6 Lacs) Pharmacists who are working in the Community Pharmacies; whereas a single Pharmacist
is not working as Community Pharmacist in our country. So, we have a great scope to work as Community Pharmacists in
Bangladesh. Thus, it is highly recommended here that the Govt. should create the environment and facilities for the
Pharmacists in this respect.

Pharmacists should work as Drug Promoters:

In many countries of the developed world (such as, J apan, USA, Canada, etc.), Pharmacists are working as Medical
Representatives/Sales team with highly paid salary for the promotion of drugs to the physicians. Our Pharmacists consider
this job as a prestigious issue and they dont have interest to engage themselves for such kind of jobs. Considering the
present job crisis of Pharmacists in Bangladesh as well as considering the world scenario, Bangladeshi Pharmacists should
engulf these job areas omitting the traditional job trend in our country. They can enjoy this job opportunity as they are
best suited for those positions than the professionals working from any other disciplines.

Introduction of 5-6 years Pharm D course:

In order to comply with the international standard of Pharmacy education, every university should offer 5-6 years Pharm
D degree along with B. Pharm. (Hons.) degree.

Modification in the Pharmacy Course Curriculum:

Pharmacy course should be redesigned/revised by giving emphasis on professional application based Pharmacy education
such as, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Pharmaceutical Care, Drug Information, Adverse Drug Reactions, Hospital Pharmacy
Practice, Clinical Pharmacy Practice, Retail Pharmacy Practice, Drug Control and Monitoring, Rational Use of Drugs,
Manufacturing and Synthesis of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients & Excipients, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology,
Recombinant DNA Technology and Genetic Engineering, in association with Industrial Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
The innovative pharmaceutical researches should also be emphasized. The present curriculum is not suitable to acquire
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adequate knowledge for the practice of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Care, Hospital Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy, Retail
Pharmacy practice, Rational Utilization of Drugs, Manufacturing of APIs, and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.

Internship program of B. Pharm. (Hons.) students should be at least for 6 months:

In order to acquire proper practical knowledge in the respective field, the internship training program should be for at
least 6 months which may include training in pharma industries, hospitals, retail pharmacy, diagnostic centers,
pharmaceutical marketing, etc. depending on the interest and specialization of the intended graduates.

Qualifying examination for the issuance of professional registration by the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh:

The Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh has recently revoked the examination system for the evaluation of graduate
pharmacists for the issuance of Registration for Pharmacy practice. By dint of revoking examination, Pharmacy graduates
from any public or private university would be awarded professional registration without any qualifying examination. To
a new Pharmacy graduate this option may be seemed to be happy news because they dont need to sit for any examination
and they can get the certification for Pharmacy practice without any qualifying test. But practically this option may lead
Pharmacy profession to challenge in the long run. The number of graduate Pharmacists coming out from private
universities is 6 times greater than that of public universities. Recently, many intellectuals raised questions about the
educational status and quality of some of the private universities although most of the private universities are doing pretty
well. Whatever the private or public universities, the examination systems is maintained in all the developed countries like
USA, UK, Canada, Australia, J apan, etc. on order to obtain the registration for pharmacy practice. So, what is the problem
in our case? If the pre-qualifying examination is maintained, this will surely ensure the quality of Pharmacists suited for
the practice of Pharmacy profession in Bangladesh. The examination system would enhance the ability of any graduate
Pharmacist whether from private or public universities. At least they may learn/study many aspects of Pharmacy
profession if they have to prepare for qualifying examination,that will help them to practice their profession. Therefore, at
least a minimum evaluation test (that would ensure the basic and minimum knowledge of Pharmacy) must be conducted
by the Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh before issuing professional registration for the practice of Pharmacy in
Bangladesh. Obtaining registration after passing pre qualifying evaluation will carry the dignity of graduate Pharmacists
in their profession; otherwise registration will not have any evaluation in practical job markets.


Active role of BPS and PGA can make the future prospects of Pharmacists come in true:


Hospital Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy and Retail Pharmacy practices have not yet been
introduced in our country, where a great number of Pharmacists may be engaged to mitigate the unemployment
problem of forthcoming Pharmacists. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Society (BPS) and Pharmacy Graduates
Association (PGA) can play a vital role to establish the job scopes of Pharmacists by upholding its necessity to
the proper authority.





CONCLUSION

Pharmacy is a very important profession, which deals with the manufacturing, handing, proper utilization, dispensing, and
administration of life saving drugs. Thus, the role of Pharmacists will never be ended as long as drugs will exist in this
world. At the same time, as Pharmacists deal with life-saving drugs, the safety of patients or its ultimate user are mostly
depend of the knowledge, proper handling, drug manufacturing, sincerity, and quality of a Pharmacist. Although the
traditional jobs of Pharmacists in Bangladesh have saturated, many prospective jobs are still beckoning to open in our
country. So, the future of Pharmacy profession is challenging and charming as well. The future Pharmacists of
Bangladesh should prepare themselves and be capable enough to catch the next job opportunities that may be explored in
our country. The Pharmaceutical Society and the Pharmacy Graduates Association have to play vital role for the
expansion of job opportunities for the future Pharmacists. Our govt. should open the job scopes of Pharmacists for the
safe and rational utilization drugs and for the better health management of country people.





REFERENCES

1. Azad AK. Pharmacy Education in Bangladesh: Past, Present and Future, BAPA Convention, New York, August 8-9, 2008.

2. Directorate General of Drug Administration of Bangladesh, web: http://www.ddabd.org/contacts.htm, accessed on 01-06-2011.


The writer is Sr. Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacy, Daffodil International University and can be reached at E-mail:
dr.mokles@daffodilvarsity.edu.bd

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