The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has said that the candidates getting the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm D) from recognized universities will be authorized to use the ‘Dr’ prefix reports TOI.

In a letter issued to director of board of examination and evaluation of Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, the registrar-cum-secretary of PCI Archana Mudgal has informed that the university should use the prefix ‘Dr’ before the names of the candidates while awarding the degree certificates to those who clear Pharm D course.As universities in the state were not issuing degrees with ‘Dr’ prefix till now, members of Doctor of Pharmacy Association of Maharashtra had approached the PCI for a clarification.The council had issued a circular that Pharm D candidates can use Dr before their names.So as on today who all can prefix their name as Dr?

• A person who has completed the doctoral academic research when awarded with a PhD prefix Dr to his name
• MBBS are also addressed as doctors and they also use Dr prefix.
• Practitioners of AYUSH systems of medicine and are also referred as doctors even though they have their own appropriate terms for alternative medicines like Vaidya (Ayurveda), Hakim (unani), Naturopath, Yogacharya and Homoeopath
• Universities also facilitate eminent individuals for their contribution in many field such as literature, science, sports, music, cinema, social service etc with doctorate degrees. They also prefix Dr
• Now, Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy) will be granted a certificate with a Dr prefix.
• Physiotherapists also has been asking for Dr as a prefix
• Tomorrow Nurse practitioners ( once started) will also start writing Dr as prefix
• All quacks are prefixing Dr in from of their name
• Health products are also writing Dr for example Dr Morpen, Dr Fixit
• Practitioners of unrecognised systems of medicine are also prefixing Dr

So what is the answer?

We need to differentiate ourselves from others

Use IMA patented emblem for modern medicine

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA