IF THE regional supervisor of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) could have his way, at least eight drugstores in the province will be closed for operating without a licensed pharmacist.

However, Renato Padilla, head of BFAD Region 1, said his office can only go as far as submit a recommendation to the central office and wait for an official order.

“We can just recommend here in the field, we just don’t close down drugstores,” Padilla told The PUNCH.

The eight drugstores, which he declined to name at this time, are small establishments that have been repeatedly found operating without a licensed pharmacist to oversee operations during business hours.

The recommendation for their closure was submitted six months ago.

Section 25 of the Pharmacy law (Republic Act 6921) mandates the presence of a pharmacist du-ring a drugstore’s business hours.

Under Administrative Order 56 series of 1989, the BFAD can temporarily close down drugstores if found after three consecutive inspections of operating without a pharmacist.

“After that, if still no pharmacist supervises their drugstores, then we recommend revocation of license to operate a drug store,” Padilla said.

There are about 3,500 drugstores in Region 1, 60% of which are located in Pangasinan.

Meanwhile, Padilla also warned “enterprising physicians” who sell medicines, saying that the duty of doctors is only to “prescribe”, while pharmacists “dispenses” the recommended medications.#

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