Only Pharmacists Council Of Nigeria (PCN) Can Seal A Patent Medicine Store

Patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMV)popularly known as chemists are the most distributed supply of healthcare services in Nigeria. They can be found in almost every village and city. They are concentrated in villages where the services of community pharmacy are not easily accessible.

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PPMV are regulated by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN). Every ppmv must be registered with PCN before it can begin operations. And every PPMV must continually adhere to regulation as they are modified every time.

PCN regulation of PPMV

In addition to the licencing or registration, PCN have the mandate to monitor the activities of PPMV. They do this by going around periodically. Any PPMV that fails to keep to the regulation can be worn or sealed. They can only unseal it by doing the right thing and lifting the seal by visiting PCN.

Pharmaceutical Inspectors

The pharmaceutical Inspectors are a group of individuals from different categories who have been empowered to enforce regulation on PPMV. They can seal PPMV that have not registered or a license PPMV that fails to follow the PCN guidelines.

Composition of State PPMVL Committee

The state Patent and proprietary medicine vendors license (PPMVL) committee is responsible for monitoring of PPMV in Nigeria. They move about in a group with a carton colour jacket with the inscription at the back that day's PCN monitoring team. They are the only government approved body responsible for monitoring of PPMV. The other body that regulates PPMV is the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicines (NAPPMED. They have an agreement (memorandum of understanding, MOU) with PCN. But they cannot seal a PPMV.

Membership of the Committee shall consist of:

(a) The Director of Pharmaceutical Services (DPS) of the State (Chairman);

(b) The Director Pharmaceutical Services, State Hospital Management Board (Member);

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(c) The Head of the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit in the State’s Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services (Member);

(d) The Chairman of State Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) or his representative (Member);

(e) The Chairman of State Chapter of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) or his representative (Member);

(f) One representative of NAFDAC (Member);

(g) A member of the Civil Society nominated by the PCN (Member), and;

(h) The PCN Zonal/State Officer and/or his representative (Member and Secretary).