The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has opposed any move to weaken the governing structure of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), saying a reduction in professional expertise could undermine drug regulation, patient safety and public health.
The Society made its position known in a memorandum to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Assembly on the proposed composition of the PCN Governing Council.
Signed by its National President, Ayuba Tanko, the memorandum urged the authorities to ensure that the Council remains professionally driven, technically competent and representative of key segments of the pharmacy sector.
The PSN said the PCN’s statutory responsibilities cover pharmacy practice, education and professional discipline, requiring a governing body with adequate expertise in regulation, inspection, accreditation, enforcement and professional standards.
It said a reduced or poorly balanced Council could affect the PCN’s capacity to inspect pharmaceutical premises, accredit training institutions, regulate pharmacy education and practice, enforce standards across the pharmaceutical value chain and discipline erring professionals.
The Society called for broader representation of pharmacists and other critical stakeholders, including the PSN, Directors of Pharmaceutical Services, accredited Faculties and Colleges of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Technicians, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA).
It also demanded an additional slot for the PSN President, citing the Society’s membership of more than 50,000 pharmacists nationwide.
The PSN raised concerns over the proposed six public representatives on the Council, arguing that excessive public representation could dilute technical expertise and politicise professional regulation.
While supporting public participation, the Society called for minimum competence requirements for public representatives in areas including public health, law, finance and consumer protection.
The Society also demanded structured academic representation, proposing that a representative of accredited Faculties and Colleges of Pharmacy be nominated through the Committee of Deans of Pharmacy in Nigeria on a rotational basis.
It said academic representation was important because universities provide the foundational training for pharmacists, while the PCN regulates and accredits pharmacy education.
The PSN acknowledged the Federal Government’s cost-rationalisation drive but opposed any reduction in regulatory effectiveness in the effort to create a leaner governing structure.
“Weakening regulatory architecture may increase long-term healthcare costs, increase counterfeit medicine risks, undermine medicine supply chain integrity and reduce enforcement capacity,” it said.
It stressed that professional regulation is a public safety infrastructure and should not be treated merely as an administrative overhead.
The PSN urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to adopt a balanced, technically sound and professionally competent governing structure for the PCN, stressing that regulatory reforms should strengthen public protection and preserve the Council’s effectiveness.
