A community pharmacy is a local healthcare facility providing pharmacy services, including the dispensing of medicines, patient counseling, and participation in health promotion programs, operated by registered pharmacists. The scope of community pharmacy is expanding to include patient care, chronic disease management, over-the-counter medication guidance, and medical tourism, while adhering to legal requirements for operation and maintaining various records. Legal obligations include a formal application for licenses, space requirements, record maintenance for drug transactions, and compliance with regulations such as the Drug and Cosmetics Act.

1. Community Pharmacy

2. DEFINITION
A community pharmacy is a healthcare facility
that is able to provide pharmacy services to
people in a local area. A community
pharmacy dispenses medicine, typically
involving a registered pharmacist with the
education, skills and competence to deliver
professional service to the community.

4. • Community pharmacists are the health professionals
most accessible to the public.
• They supply medicines in accordance with a prescription
or, when legally permitted, sell them without a
prescription.
• In addition to ensuring an accurate supply of
appropriate products, their professional activities also
cover
 counseling of patients at the time of dispensing of
prescription and non-prescription drugs,
 drug information to health professionals, patients and
the general public, and
 participation in health-promotion programmes.
• They maintain links with other health professionals in
primary health care.

5. SCOPE OF COMMUNITY PHARMACY
• steep rise in the field of medical and health
services due to introduction of various latest
techniques and globalization of medical profession
• Population of whole world is rising tremendously
day by day,
• medical and health services are insufficient for
overall improvement of health status
• there is a requirement of equal participation of all
health professionals to obtain a common goal of
disease prevention and health promotion

6. • Community pharmacist strives for most effective,
appropriate, safe and economic treatment of the
patient.
• Nowdays the scope of community pharmacy is
expanding to the following areas:
Informing health care professionals and the public
• Community Pharmacy compile and maintain
information on all medicines, and particularly on
newly introduced medicines, provide this
information as necessary to other health care
professionals and to patients.

7. Care of patients or Clinical pharmacy
The pharmacist seeks to
• collect and integrate information about the
patient’s drug history,
• clarify the patient’s understanding of the
intended dosage regimen and method of
administration, and
• advises the patient of drug-related
precautions, and in some countries, monitors
and evaluates the therapeutic response.

8. Processing of prescriptions
Community pharmacist verifies the legality, safety and
appropriateness of the prescription order, checks the
patient medication record before dispensing the
prescription.
ensures that the quantities of medication are dispensed
accurately.

10. Over the counter medications, self medication
• Community pharmacies are in position to
overview and intervene in the use of OTCs and
give advice on self-medications.
• Awareness about OTCs and self medication is
been delegated by the community pharmacy
through patient counseling, leaflets and other
educational techniques.

11. Increasing demand in chronic care
• Chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension,
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
needs long term medical and pharmaceutical
care.
• Community pharmacies can run various health
care programs, patients' disease / medication
education programs for its clients where in
patients will be benefited for their health.

12. Health promotion
• Community pharmacist can take part in health
promotion campaigns, locally and nationally, on
a wide range of health-related topics, and
particularly on drug-related topics (e.g., rational
use of drugs, alcohol abuse, tobacco use,
discouragement of drug use during pregnancy,
organic solvent abuse, poison prevention) or
topics concerned with other health problems
(diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, leprosy, HIV-
infection/AIDS) and family planning.

13. Drug selection
• Community pharmacy plays an important role
for appropriate selection of drugs which will
be given to patients to encounter disease. It
involves various type of activities:
• Adoption of essential drug concept
• Training of health professionals
• Maintenance of data based on clinical
guidelines
• Consumer education and regulatory
strategies.

14.  Lifestyle changes and pharmaceutical demands
• Economic growth and socio-structural changes in modern
Indian community have rapidly changed the life-style of
the community.
• Along with drugs for disease ailments, there is changing
trend in the population for use of life style drugs.
• There is increasing demands for therapies such as anti-
obesity drugs, anti-ageing cosmetic interventions,
erectile dysfunction disorders, anti-oxidants etc.
• increasing trend towards consumption of specialized
nutraceuticals such as isolated protein supplements and
dietary supplements.
• There needs special input from the community pharmacy
and pharmacist towards appropriate use of these
medications.

15.  Medical tourism
• Medical Tourism India, also known as Health Tourism India is
a developing concept whereby people from world over visit
India for their medical and related needs.
• India is encashing this opportunity by providing high level
medical services at as low as one tenth of price in developed
countries.
• An estimate suggests that the medical tourism could bring
between $1 billion and $2 billion US into the country by
2012 at a growth rate of 30 per cent a year.
• Considering this fact, there is extreme need for development
of community pharmacy and community pharmacy practices
in urban developments.
• Community pharmacy in India includes various systems of
the medicines such as allopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy and
other herbal therapies. Medical tourists may seek services
from these sectors in community pharmacy.

16. Patient counseling and evaluating
• Pharmacists led counseling improves clinical
outcomes, quality of life, drug and disease
knowledge, patients’ satisfaction with service,
• Content of the counselling : Name and
description of the medicine, indications, route
of administration, dose and dosage form,
directions for use, duration of therapy, special
directions, precautions, side effects, and
contraindications

18. Domiciliary services
In a number of countries, the pharmacist
provides an advisory as well as a supply
service to residential homes for the elderly,
and other long-term patients.
In some countries, policies are being developed
under which pharmacists will visit certain
categories of house-bound patients to provide
the counselling service that the patients
would have received had they been able to
visit the pharmacy.

20. Role and Responsibilities of
Community Pharmacist

29. Legal Requirements for Pharmacy
Layout
• A Pharmacy should fulfill all the requirements in Schedule N (Drug and
cosmetics Act 1940, Rules 1945) “List of minimum equipment for the
efficient running of Pharmacy’’.
• The front of a pharmacy shall bear an inscription “Pharmacy” in front.
• The premises shall be well built, dry, well lit and ventilated and, of
sufficient dimensions.
• The areas of the dispensing department shall be not less than 6 square
meters for one pharmacist working therein with additional 2 square
meters for each additional pharmacist.
• The height of the premises shall be at least 2.5 meters.
• A Pharmacy shall be provided with apparatus and books necessary for
making of official preparations and prescriptions
• A pharmacy shall be conducted under the continuous personal
supervision of a Registered Pharmacist.

32. Functional Areas of Community
Pharmacy
• Space for incoming goods
• Reserve stock
• Office
• Counter for customers
• Resting rooms and toilets
• Telephone
• Flap door entrance for personnel
• Refrigerator
• Shelves for keeping medicines
• Waiting area
• Dispensing area

39. DESIGN FEATURES OF COMMUNITY PHARMACY
1. A community Pharmacy should be painted purely
white or with special light colors to reflect noble
nature of Pharmacy.
2. Illuminated by using tube lights
(neon/fluorescent).Lighting of bulbs should be
avoided.
3. All parts of store should be effective. There should
be no L shapes or hidden corners within.
4. Cash counters and wrapping counter should be
near the gate.
5. Placement of nationally advertised non-
prescription/ OTC products near customer counter.

40. 6. Prescription product should be arranged as
industry wise, disease wise or alphabetically
to facilitate their identification.
7. Provision of adequate number of bin and
shelves (wooden or steel)
8. Provision of fire extinguisher, generator,
computer, telephone
9. Heavy and bulky items should be stored as
low as possible.

41. STAFFING IN COMMUNITY
PHARMACY
• The process of hiring and developing the
required personnel
• to fill in various positions in the organization.
• It involves the
• scientific and systemic procurement, allocation,
utilization, conversation and development of
human resources.

42. • A registered pharmacist is eligible to establish
and run a community pharmacy.
• To become a registered pharmacist, the
individual must have passed Diploma in
pharmacy from recognized institution along
with 500 hrs training in a govt. hospital or B.
Pharm from a recognized institution.
• For starting whole sale pharmacy the
individual must be a diploma holder or B
Pharm or matriculation + 4 year experience in
handling the drugs.

43. • Manpower required for community pharmacy
• Registered pharmacist may be owner or
manager.
• Pharmacy technician and two counter
salesmen
• One clerk
• Two delivery boys
• One part time or full time accountant
• Driver of vehicle if any

44. MATERIAL CODING
• Coding is define as
• process of assigning a code number or code
symbol to a particular material for easy
identification.
• According to another definition “ codification
is a system of symbols designed to be applied
to a classified set of items”

45. Advantages of Coding
1. The long names and description of items need not
to be repeated every time.
2. Systematic grouping for correct identification of
similar items.
3.Avoids duplicate stocks of drugs
4.It helps in quick identification of items
5. The storing of materials, sorting and documentation
becomes easier.
6. It helps in inspection of materials
7. It helps in physical counting
8. It helps in accounting and costing

46. Methods of Codification
Alphabetical system:
• Alphabetical symbols or letters are used as
symbols or codes to identify an item.
• first alphabet of each name of the material is
the starting point of coding and subsequently
sub alphabets are also used.
• For tablet Code T and for capsule, code C is
used. For tablet Thiamine hydrochloride code
T-TH-HC and for raw material of Thiamine
hydrochloride TH-HC is used.

47. • This method is generally used for coding the
rack.
• Simple method
• It is not always easy to remember codes
• Lacks flexibility and expansion
• Chances of duplication
• Coding mistakes may occur due to repetition
of alphabets

48. Numerical system
• uses only numbers as codes of various materials
kept in the stores.
• items are divided into a number of groups and
each group is given a specific code.
• Further sub grouping is done on the basis of
classification of items falling in any group
according to its shape, size and function
• complete code of the item is written by
combining the main group code with the sub
code of that item.

49. • Decimal System
• Specific code numbers are given to a group of
drugs acting on a system and sub codes are
allotted to each drug falling under this group

50. Block system: The numbers are reserved for
specified classification.
Items Block number
Tablets
Capsules
1-100
101-200
NSAID tablets
Antibiotic tablets
Cardiac tablets
1-10
11-20
21-30 ………….

51. • Alpha-numerical system/ Combination: In this
method, both alphabets and numerals are used
in the combined form to allot a code to different
items of the store.
• This method is used where store items are quite
large.

52. • e.g. AT 300- For aspirin 300 mg tab
AT 301- For aspirin 500 mg tab
• e.g. T 400 ---- T410 Tablet Antibiotics
T 401 – Ampicillin Alpha block numerical method
T 402 – Amoxicillin
T 403- tetracycline
• e.g. A 0.0 – Antibiotics
A 0.1 -- Ampicillin
A 0.2 – Amoxicillin Alpha decimal numerical method
A 0.3 – Tetracycline
• Flexible method and helps to memorising the code for
different store items.

53. • Location coding: In a large organization, there
are a large number of stores and each store
may be quite large in size.
• So the store room is divided into blocks.
Within each block every row is divided
vertically in columns and horizontally in
shelves.
• Each and every shelf is given a particular
number. The location of item can be identified
from block number; row number; column
number.

54. A. Fixed location: Each group of item is allotted a fixed
place inside store according to either
a) Supplier wise b) Item wise c) Utility
of item
B. Random location: Items are placed according to
availability of space in store at the time of receiving the
items. This method can be used when number of items
is less and store keeper is efficient in remembering the
location of each item.
C. Zonal location: Generally the whole inventory is
divided into 3 zones, namely
a) Bulk zone b) Reserve stock C) Consumable items
d) spare

55. Legal Requirements
• To run a Pharmacy the specific laws imposed
are:
1. Drug & Cosmetics act & rules (1940 & 1945)
2. Poison Act, 1919
3. Pharmacy Act 1948
4. Shop & establishment act (1948)
5. Dangerous drug act 1930
6. Prohibition and excise rules

56. • To establish a pharmacy following legal
requirements should be fulfilled:
Minimum academic qualification:
Registered Pharmacist
Should have attained at least 18 yrs of age
Should possess a degree/ diploma in pharmacy
Completed a training of 500 hrs in a medical
store, hospital pharmacy.

57. Minimum space
Minimum area of 10m2 for running a retail
store
Equipped with proper storage facility for
preserving properties of drug
Sufficient number of storage racks
areas of the dispensing department shall be
not less than 6 square meters for one
pharmacist working therein with additional 2
square meters for each additional pharmacist.

58. Application for grant of License
License for running a shop according to shop &
establishment act from labour office situated
at district place.
For the purpose of Sale
General License
Restricted License

59. • General license- are granted to person who
have premises for the business and who
engage the services of a qualified person to
supervise sale of drugs and do the
compounding and dispensing.
• Restricted License- granted to dealers/
persons in respect of drugs whose sale does
not require the supervision of a qualified
person.

60. • Any person desirous of getting a license to sell,
stock, exhibit or offer to sale/distribute drugs
should apply to Licensing authority along with
following:
 Application form 19/ 19B/19C (duly filled;
duplicate)
Additional information form, Identification forms
Original Challan receipt for required amount of fees
deposited
Attested copy of Pharmacy registration certificate,
Qualification certificate , training certificate,
Matriculation certificate(Proof of DOB)

61. Hand written declaration of Pharmacist
Bill of refrigerator
Partnership deed, Affidavit of Partners
Rent deed of proposed firm (If applicable)
Layout plan of Pharmacy duly signed by
proprietor
Legal documents of ownership
• Central sales tax, Income tax numbers can be
obtained from respective offices

62. • After scrutinizing application form & all
documents---- If satisfied----- Drug control
authority may issue license
• For wholesale- 20B/ 21B/20G
Condition of license
 shall be displayed at prominent place in part of
premises open to public
Licensee should comply with provisions of D &
C act.

63. No Physician’s sample or expired drugs will be
stocked on sale premises
Compounding of prescription would be done
under personal supervision of registered
pharmacist
Drugs should be purchased only from a duly
licensed dealer/ manufacturer
Any change in qualified staff in charge should
be reported by licensee to LA within 3 month

64. • Duration of license- An original license or a
renewed license to sell drugs, unless sooner
suspended or cancelled, shall be valid for a
period of five years on and from the date on
which it is granted or renewed.
• Renewal of license- application for renewal
may be put up before the expiry or within 6
months of expiry

65. MAINTENANCE OF VARIOUS REGISTERS IN
COMMUNITY PHARMACY
The various types of records in CP may be
classified as-
• Records regarding the acquisition and
disposition of drugs
• Records regarding patient utilization of drugs
• Records regarding the past and present
financial status of CP

66. • In Community Pharmacy, the community
pharmacist is responsible to maintain the
following types of records-
• Records related to sales and purchase of
drugs
• Patients records
• Financial records

67. Records related to sales and purchase
of drugs
1. Legal records
The pharmacy owner or manager is charged
with maintaining accurate & up to date records
on specific class of drugs and poisons.
acquisition and disposition of certain drugs that
are deemed to be subjected to possible misuse
or abuse.
maintain the proper records of poisons and
other hazards substances.

68. 2. Records of purchase of drugs
Records related to purchase of all drugs whether
intended to be sold in retail or by whole sale
should maintained under the following
headings:
• Date of purchase
• Name, address, and license no of stockiest from
which drugs were purchased
• Name, quantities, and lot no. of drugs
• Name of manufacturer of drugs
• The owner of pharmacy is advised to kept
purchase bill in records

69. 3. Records of sales of drugs
(a) Records of sales of drugs specified in schedule X
• The following particular should be mentioned in
the register:-
1. Date of purchase
2. Name and quantity of drug supplied
3. Manufacturer name and batch no or lot no
4. Name and address of the purchaser
5. Reference no of prescription against which the
supply of drug is made
6. Bill no etc.

70. • Schedule X is a class of prescription drugs in India
appearing as an appendix to the Drugs and
Cosmetics Rules introduced in 1945.
• These are drugs which cannot be purchased over
the counter without the prescription of a
qualified doctor.
• The retailer has to preserve the prescription for
a period of two years.

71. • Records of sales of drugs specified other than
schedule X
1. Serial no of entry
2. Date of supply
3. Name and address of the patient or in case of
veterinary use, the name of animal and name
& address of owner of animal
4. Name and quantities of the drugs supplied
5. The signature of the pharmacist under whose
supervision medicine was supplied etc

72. Patient records
• maintain the proper records of patient drug
history.
• This type of records are helpful to pharmacist in
following situations: -
1. to monitor the total drug usage by the patient
and his family
2. To reduce the problems associated with the
drugs interactions.
3. To find out the individual idiosyncrasies to the
drugs

73. Financial records
• Properly collected and organized accounting data
help the owner of pharmacy in the following
way: -
1. Making sound decision regarding the future cash
need, inventory requirements etc.
2. Evaluating the past operations, controlling the
current operations, and providing the
information regarding planning and forecasting.
3. Analyzing revenues and expenses.
4. Measuring the return on investment.
5. Helping to ensure a profitable operation.

74. OTC MEDICATIONS
• Drugs are substances intended for use in the
diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or
prevention of disease. Drugs may be
Prescription and OTC drugs.
• OTC drugs also known as Non-Prescription
drugs (NPDs) are those medications which can
be obtained without a prescription of
Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) and can
be easily purchased from pharmacies, grocery
stores, and convenience stores.

75. Criteria for OTC Designation
• Benefits of these drugs outweigh then risk
• Low toxicity and low risk of serious adverse
reactions
• Not to increase resistance
• Correct self-assessment of the condition
• No known incorrect use
• Risk to public health limited in case of misuse
• Drugs are usually approved as prescription
only first and just after they prove safe in
clinical use they are re-categorized as OTC

76. Merits of OTC
• Rapid access
• Fewer physician visits, lower healthcare
system costs
• Self reliant of patients
• No third party involvement i.e.
doctor/pharmacist
• Usually cheaper

77. Risks associated with OTC
• Poor patient compliance
• Misdiagnosis
• Difficult to study the drug’s effect
• Delay in obtaining needed therapy
• Drug resistance
• Increase cost due to side effects, adverse effects
• Failure to follow label instructions
• under dose / overdose
• Increased risk of drug-drug/drug-food/ herbal interactions
• Potential for misuse/ drug abuse/ addiction/ dependency

78. Reasons for consumptions of OTC
• Lack of time
• Self medication
• Lack of finance (poor socio-economic status)
• Used for short term illness
• Easily available
• Belief in self care practice
• Lack of accessibility of healthcare
• Advertisement and marketing
• fear of lab investigations
• lack of resources like availability of physician
• feeling that disease is simple enough to treat with
OTC medications

79. Labeling of OTC drugs
• Name of product’s active ingredients including the
amount in each dosage unit
• Purpose of the product
• Uses of the product
• Specific warning including when the product should not
be used under any circumstances and when it is
appropriate to consult the doctor.
• Dosage instructions- when, How, and how often to take
the product
• Product inactive ingredients, important information to
help the consumers avoid the ingredients that causes an
allergic reaction
• Directions
• Special precautions
• Other information’s like storage conditions

80. Guidelines for choosing & using OTC
• Make sure self diagnosis is accurate as possible.
• Do not assume
• Choose a product because ingredient are
appropriate for condition not because product
has a familiar brand name.
• Read label carefully to determine- correct
dose/direction/precautions
• Do not take more than recommended dose
• Keep the drug out of reach of Children
• Don’t use for long time.

81. Role of pharmacist
• Enquire whether the patient knows the correct use of medicine
• Get into conversation so that you can ask the patient to tell you the
symptoms for which he/ she wants the particular OTC medicines
• Enquire whether client is taking other medicines
• Enquire whether client is suffering from another illness/ conditions
• Assist the patient in selecting OTC medicine suitable to his/her
symptoms and also check that it is not contraindicated for his illness.
• Also check drug – drug interaction/ drug- food interaction
• Pharmacist can recommended ayruvedic medications or other
recognized system of medicine
• Can give the following information to patients
a. how to take the medicines
b. how much to take
c. for how long to take
d. any side effect/ adverse effect likely to occur
e. any other precautions

82. Patient counselling
• Evaluation: Pharmacist should evaluate, through the interview and
observation, the patient's physical complaint and/or symptoms
alongside medical condition
• Differentiation: Pharmacist must differentiate between self-treatable
conditions from those requiring the attention of the patient's health
care provider (i.e. a doctor).
• Obligation: Pharmacist’s obligation is to provide adequate advice and
counsel the patient on the proper course of action to be taken
• Assistance: Pharmacist can assist in product selection, taking into
account the prescription medicines the patient is already taking,
evaluate potential risk factors (i.e. contraindications, warnings,
precautions, age, organ function).
• Counsel the patient: Pharmacist can counsel the patient about proper
drug use (i.e. dosage, administration technique, monitoring parameters,
storage). A proper OTC pharmacist-patient encounter should be carried
out in four steps:

83. Step 1: Introduction
1. Every pharmacist should begin the OTC
counselling session by introducing
himself/herself by name and designation.
2. Pharmacist should try to relax the patient by
beginning the session with good oculesics (or
eye contact), a friendly smile and a handshake
3. The pharmacist should also explain that he/she
can provide assistance with OTC product
selection and explain how to use such
medication

84. Step 2: Collection of relevant information’s from
the patient:
Patient’s demographic (e.g. sex, age, pregnant,
nursing, weight, allergies, social history etc),
disease (e.g. history of present illness, current
symptoms, course of illness, past history, other
underlying medical conditions) and drug (e.g.
current medication, medication taking history,
OTC history etc.)

85. Step 3: Counselling: using suitable verbal and
written communication techniques, the
pharmacist should inform, educate, and counsel
patients.
Pharmacist can tell to patient-
• Drug name (generic and/or brand name);
• Route, dosage form.
• Dose and administration schedule
• Special directions for preparation and
administration as well as precautions to be taken
during the process
• Techniques for self-monitoring of drug therapy
• Storage conditions if any
• Potential drug-drug or drug-food interactions

86. • Other therapeutic contraindications and
accordingly other information particular to the
specific patient or drug
• Demonstrate to patients how to use
medications in various forms such as inhalers,
patches, drops, ointments, lozenges, gargles
• About side effect and adverse effect

87. • Step 4: Closing the counselling: Before closing
the pharmacist should ask the patient about
any doubt regarding therapy. If the session is
clear to patient or not. Pharmacist should
close the session with a smile.