Law and ethics form the foundation of every profession — and the pharmacy profession is no exception. While law ensures that every pharmacist follows legal standards, ethics guide professionals to work with honesty, responsibility, and respect for human life.
Together, they help maintain discipline, protect public health, and uphold the dignity of the pharmacy profession.
1. Definition and Meaning of Law:
- Law is a set of rules and regulations made by the government to control and guide human behavior in society.
- These rules are legally enforceable and apply equally to all citizens.
According to Rig Veda:
“Law is the king of monarchs, far more powerful and right than they; by whose aid, even the weak may conquer the strong.”
According to John Locke:
“Every law is a veritable freedom; the ends of law are not to abolish or confine but to preserve and increase freedom.”
Characteristics of Law:
- Law exists within a state and is created by it.
- It must be approved and recognized by authority.
- It serves specific purposes — usually to maintain social order.
- Violation of law results in punishment, such as fine or imprisonment.
2. Definition and Meaning of Ethics:
- Ethics is a branch of moral philosophy that helps individuals decide what is right and wrong in professional conduct.
- It is not legally binding, but it maintains professional standards and trust.
- Violation of ethics affects reputation, not legality.
3. General Principles of Law:
The legal system is based on six general principles:
1. Principle of Democracy:
- Described by Abraham Lincoln as “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
- Promotes freedom, equality, and participation.
2. Principle of Constitutionalism:
- Protects individual liberty by limiting the power of the state through a written Constitution.
3. Principle of Justice:
- Justice ensures fairness in all legal matters.
- Distributive Justice: Fair distribution of rewards and resources.
- Corrective Justice: Restores equality after wrongdoing.
4. Principle of Liberty:
- Liberty means freedom of thought and action, allowing individuals to live freely without oppression.
5. Principle of Equality:
- Everyone is equal before the law regardless of social or economic status.
6. Principle of Fraternity:
- Promotes brotherhood, unity, and mutual respect among citizens.
4. History of Pharmacy and Legal Development in India:
Pharmacy evolved from medicine and became a separate profession in the 19th century.
Before pharmacists existed, apothecaries and physicians prepared and dispensed medicines.
With industrial growth and misuse of drugs, there arose a need for laws to regulate manufacture, import, and sale of drugs.
5. Important Historical Events and Acts:
| Year | Event / Act |
|---|---|
| 1878 | Opium Act passed. |
| 1901 | Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works founded by Acharya P.C. Ray. |
| 1919 | Poisons Act passed. |
| 1930 | Dangerous Drugs Act enacted. |
| 1932 | First Pharmacy Department started at BHU by Prof. M.L. Schroff. |
| 1940 | Drugs Act introduced. |
| 1941 | Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) and Central Drugs Laboratory established. |
| 1948 | Pharmacy Act passed; Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) formed. |
| 1954 | Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. |
| 1955 | Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act. |
| 1960 | First Indian Pharmacopoeia published. |
| 1970 | Drugs Price Control Order introduced. |
| 1985 | NDPS Act enacted. |
| 1995 | Revised Drugs Price Control Order. |
| 2005 | Disaster Management Act passed. |
6. Other Acts Related to Pharmacy Profession:
- Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
- Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951
- Factories Act, 1948
- Indian Patent and Designs Act, 1970
- Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958
- Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
- Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010
7. Drug Enquiry Committee (1930):
Chairman: Col. R.N. Chopra
Members: Shri C. Govindan Nair, Dr. B. Mukherjee, Mr. H. Cooper, Maulvi Abdul Malim Chowdhary, Fr. J.F. Caius
Functions:
- Studied the quality and availability of drugs in India.
- Recommended ways to control impure or substandard drugs.
- Suggested that only qualified persons should practice pharmacy.
Recommendations:
- Establish an Indian drug industry.
- Frame a Drugs and Pharmacy Act.
- Set up testing and quality control laboratories.
- Create training programs for pharmacists.
- Compile the Indian Pharmacopoeia.
- Register patent and proprietary medicines.
- Develop Cinchona cultivation for quinine production.
