U.K. Refuses Pharmacy Reciprocity From 1968

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 8

U.K. Refuses Pharmacy Reciprocity From 1968

(Neto Zealand Prese Association) WELLINGTON, July 17. The Pharmacy Board has been told by the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain that the New Zealand diploma course in pharmacy is not considered to be of a standard equivalent to the British academic course and reciprocity two countries will be discontinued from 1968 for all New Zealand pharmacists obtaining registration by diploma.

The British society has. j however, agreed to recognise pharmacists who have the B. Pharm. degree of the University of Otago, subject to passing an examination in the law and practice of pharmacy in Britain.

It has been said that the only acceptable standard for reciprocity will be where registration has been granted after the successful completion of a degree or diploma occupying three years after intermediate standard has been attained, plus a period of practical training. The intermediate standard in Britain is the general certificate of education examination at advanced level in physics, chemistry and biology. The Pharmacy Board has for some time been concerned about New Zealand’s standard of pharmacy education and has tried to raise it by having all pharmacy education at university level. The present diploma course at the School of Pharmacy. Petone, consists of two academic years, the first of which is devoted to the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and biology to the medical intermediate examination level, and although the Government plans to increase the diploma course by a further year it now appears that this will be insufficient to meet the British requirements. Most pharmacists are trained at the Petone School of Pharmacy and although there is an increasing demand for the degree course at Otago this has a limited intake of only 20 students a year and is now regarded as providing for a few persons required for positions of leadership and special responsibility.

Between 30 and 40 New Zealand pharmacists a year have been granted reciprocal registration by the British society during recent years and most return within a year or so. i

I Mr R. F. D. Crosby, president of the Pharmaceutical Society, commenting on the ultimatum from the British society said: “It is clear that something will have to be done, and done quickly, if we

are not to become the poor relations in the pharmaceutical world. "Pharmacy seems to have become the neglected profession as far as education in this country is concerned.’’