Special Supplement to S. A. Pharmaceutical JournalISSU ED O N B E H A L F O F T H E PH A R M A C E U T IC A L SO C IETY O F SO U TH A F R IC A FO R

IN F O R M A T IO N O F ALL C H EM ISTS & D R U G G IS T S

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO ENQUIRE INTO THE TRAINING OF CHEMISTS & DRUGGISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

(EXTRACTS)

Published under Government Printer s Copyright Authority No. 964, 17/10/51

Terms of Reference C O M M IT TE E T O E N Q U IR E IN T O T H E TRA IN IN G O F C H E M ISTS AND D R U G G ISTS IN SO U T H AFRICA

It is notified for general inform ation that the H onourable the M inister o f H ealth has appointed a Com m ittee to enquire in to the present system o f training o f chem ists and druggists in the U nion, particularly in the light o f m odem developments in the m anufacture, d istribution and utili­zation o f therapeutic substances, to report—-

(а) whether such training is adequate ;(б) whether the system provides equal opportunities

to prospective apprentices from the urban and ru ral areas ; and

(c) whether there is a shortage o f trained chemists and druggists in hospitals and, if so, the reasons therefor ;

and to m ake recom m endations regarding any statu tory o r o ther changes relative to any o f the above aspects o r any o ther m atters relating thereto which the Com m ittee may consider necessary o r desirable.

The following were appointed m am bers o f the Com m ittee :—

(1) Senator the H onourable D r. K arl Bremer (Chairm an).

(2) Professor A. I. M alan, M.P.(3) Professor D ouw G . Steyn, Professor in Pharm a­

cology, University o f Pretoria.(4) D r. M aria G . Breyer, C onsultant Chem ist to

the T im ber Research L aboratories o f the Transvaal C ham ber o f M ines.

(5) D r. Peter Allan, form er Secretary for Health.M r. N orm an E. G reenw ood, Pharm acist o f the D epart­

m ent o f H ealth, was appointed to act as Secretary to the Committee.

C hapter I

In this report, unless inconsistent with the context— "pharm acist” m eans a chem ist and druggist registered

as such under the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, N o . 13 o f 1928.

“ pupil” means a person undergoing practical training as a “pharm acist.”

“pupilage” m eans the period o f practical training which m ust be undergone by a person prior to his registration as a “ pharm acist.” (These term s are com parable with the present term s “ apprentice” and “ apprenticeship” as used in the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, N o. 13 o f 1928.)

Y our Com m ittee has carefully considered the existing educational and training facilities in the U nion o f South Africa, w ith special reference to the questions subm itted to us, namely, w hether such training and education is sufficient and satisfactory, w hether it affords the same opportunities to aspirant apprentices o r pupils in rural

and urban areas and whether there is a shortage of trained pharm acists in hospitals and the reasons therefor. Y our Com m ittee particularly exam ined the changes in training which have been brought ab o u t in this country, the ten­dencies revealed by such changes and these have been com pared with the present state o f training in E uropean countries, the U nited States o f Am erica and particularly, w ith the changes which have been effected in G reat Britain in recent years. The latter changes are par­ticularly im portan t in view o f the fact that the original South African scheme o f education was based on that used in G reat Britain, whence the m ajority o f the pharm a­ceutical chemists o f the early days in the C ape and N atal were drawn. In the Transvaal and Free S tate som e came from o ther E uropean countries. The education and training o f pharm aceutical chem ists in o ther countries has changed considerably in m odem times and your Com m ittee feels th a t it can with confidence recom mend certain new schemes o f education and practical training for South Africa which will be a firm 'fo u n d a tio n for the training o f pharm acists for private pharm acies, hospitals, public institutions, for industry and the m anufacturing chemist and eventually, fo r research work. A lthough the m anufacturing and research aspect may appear lim ited in South Africa, it has become clear th a t the increasing dem and m akes it im perative that any scheme o f education m ust m ake provision fo r the higher academ ic and practical training which alone can form the background fo r such personnel. Evidence was adduced th a t for senior posts in hospitals, teaching institu­tions, m anufacturing concerns and for purposes o f research higher academ ic training is essential. The m ethod o f entry in to the pharm aceutical profession in its general aspects and in the m anner that it affects the rural and urban en tran ts has been expressly investigated.

I t will be seen later that the Com m ittee recom mends a t least a three year full-time course o f academ ic and practical training a t a University, with the possibility o f a degree in Pharm acy ap art from a period of pupilage. In thus stressing the professional requirem ents for the pharm acist, which incidentally a re the least dem anded by any E uropean country, the question arose whether the tim e has no t arrived in South Africa to restrict dispensing to those possessing a qualification as a pharm acist. This m atter will be dealt w ith in a subsequent chapter.

The Com m ittee has had evidence and m em oranda with regard to the full course o f study and practical w ork fo r the qualifying exam ination and a degree in Pharm acy, together with suggestions fo r the further training leading to higher degrees in Pharm acy. Full-tim e training in a university with a year o r m ore o f practical pupilage is clearly the only satisfactory alternative. This aspect will be fully set ou t in a subsequent chapter.

T he question as to whether there should be, as now, three years o f apprenticeship, o r whether this should be reduced to two or one year has been fully gone into and will also be dealt with in a later chapter.

Chapter IIPRESENT DAY EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF

CHEM ISTS AND DRUGGISTS IN THE UNION(see Appendix VI)

The M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, 1928 (Act N o. 13 o f 1928), empowers the South African Pharm acy B oard to con tro l pharm aceutical education and to conduct exam inations (section 27) to register chemists and druggists (section 24) and to exercise contro l over chemists and druggists and o ther persons engaged in pharm acy (section). 94

The rules fram ed by the Pharm acy B oard under section 94 o f the Act relating to the form and m ethod o f and the fee fo r registration o f contracts o f apprenticeship to chemists a n d druggists and the rules relating to exam inations for chemists and druggists published under G overnm ent Notices Nos. 93 o f 17th January , 1941, and 2643 o f 19th Decem ber, 1947, as am ended, are included as an annexure to this report.

The training o f the intending chem ist and druggist consists o f :—

(a) an indentured apprenticeship after p ro o f o f general education ;

(b) a prescribed course o f training and study ;(c) the passing o f an exam ination to the satis­

faction o f the Pharm acy B oardleading finally to his registration as a chem ist and druggist.

GENERAL EDUCATIONA t the present time the standard o f education required

before beginning a career as a chem ist and druggist is the M atriculation Certificate o f the Jo in t M atriculation Board o f the U nion o f South Africa o r an Exem ption Certificate from th a t Body, the subjects o f such certificate including :—

M athem atics and one at least o f the following : Physical Science,Physics,Chemistry,Biology,Botany,Zoology.

ApprenticeshipA person who has com plied with the general education

standards who desires to train as a chem ist and druggist m ust first become an apprentice to a registered chemist and druggist in an approved pharmacy.

Only a registered apprentice may write the Interm ediate Exam ination although he may comm ence to serve is apprenticeship after writing the exam ination.

The apprenticeship involves consideration of the following factors, namely :—

(a) the apprentice,(b) the master, and(c) the place of training.

In respect o f (a) the apprentice, the requirements are given above under the heading G eneral Education.

Regarding (b), the m aster shall be a registered chem ist and druggist and during the term o f apprenticeship is held responsible to the South African Pharm acy B oard for the due compliance with all the term s and conditions m entioned in the C ontract o f Apprenticeship. U nder certain con­ditions the m aster may delegate the training o f the appren­tice to ano ther chemist and druggist bu t he still remains responsible to the Pharm acy B oard for the proper carrying ou t o f the term s and conditions o f the C ontract o f Apprenticeship.

The terms and conditions include a requirem ent that the m aster shall to the best o f his knowledge and ability teach and instruct the apprentice in the Art. T rade and business o f a Chemist and D ruggist and shall provide sufficient facilities, equipm ent and m aterial for the proper training o f the apprentice.

A requirem ent laid down is that during the course o f the apprenticeship 1,000 prescriptions o f certain specified types shall be dispensed by the apprentice over a period of two years and if this num ber o f prescriptions be no t dispensed in the ordinary course o f business in the phar­macy, the m aster undertakes to draft the balance to m ake up the required num ber.

Place of TrainingThe C ontract o f Apprenticeship requires a training to

be carried out in the A rt, T rade and Business o f a Chemist and Druggist and a tten tion is directed to the all-embracing nature o f these requirem ents which are directed both towards the Professional (Art) and the Business (Trade and Business) side o f Pharm acy.

T he type o f training undertaken on the professional side is based on the syllabus requirem ents for the Qualifying Exam ination and the acts pertaining to the calling o f a Chemist and Druggist as laid down in section 37 of the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, 1928 (Act No. 13o f l 9 2 8 >- j , ,The apprenticeship or training must be served underthe direct supervision o f a chemist and druggist carrying on business in a pharm acy being an open shop established for the dispensing and supplying of drugs and medicines direct to the general pubUc. The training, therefore, is restricted to retail pharmacies.

Prescribed Courses of Training and StudyCourses o f study are laid down for the exam inations

com prising the Interm ediate Exam ination, which is a pure science exam ination and the Qualifying Exam ination, which deals with purely pharm aceutical subjects and scientific subjects treated from a pharm aceutical angle.Examinations

The rules provide for the exam inations o f candidates in the following subjects :—

IntermediateChemistry Theoretical and practical.B otany Theoretical and practical.Physics Theoretical and practical.Zoology Theoretical and practical.

QualifyingChemistry and PharmaceuticalChemistry Theoretical and practical.Pharmacy.Forensic Pharm acy.Practical Pharm acy and Dispensing. Pharm acognosy Theoretical and practical. Physiology Theoretical.

The Exam inations are conducted by the South African Pharm acy Board, the Panel o f Exam iners being drawn from the Universities, the Technical Colleges and from am ongst registered chemists and druggists in all spheres o f pharm acy. . .

There are two alternative schemes for persons desiring to train as chem ists and druggists namely, a full-time course and a part-tim e course o f study at a recognised training institution.

Briefly these can be outlined as follows

SC H EM E A — 5 Y E A R S ' CO U R SE M atriculation (with M athem atics as one o f the

Subjects, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science, Botany, Biology, Zoology).

1 Y ears’ full-tim e course a t a recognised training institution in preparation for the Interm ediate i Exam ination.

Intermediate Examination 3 Y ear's apprenticeship under contract regis­tered with the South African Pharm acy Board.

1 Y ears' full-tim e course a t a recognised training institution in preparation for the Qualifying Exam ination.

Qualifying Examination R egistration as a Chem ist and Druggist.

SC H EM E B — 4 Y E A R S' CO U R SE M atriculation (with M athem atics and one of the

subjects, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science, Botany, Biology, Zoology).

3 Y ear’s apprenticeship under contract registered w ith the South African Pharm acy Board.

2 Y ear's part-tim e course a t a recognised training institution taken during the period o f ap ­prenticeship in p reparation for the Inter­m ediate Exam ination.

Intermediate Examination1 Y ear's full-time course at a recognised training

institution in preparation for the Qualifying Exam ination.

Qualifying Examination R egistration as a Chemist and Druggist.

The following are recognised as institutions fo r the training o f chemists and druggists—

Intermediate ExaminationN orthern Cape Technical College, Kimberley ; Boys’ High School, Kimberley ; University o f the O .F.S., Bloemfontein ; N atal U ni­versity, Pieterm aritzburg ; Rhodes University, G raham stow n ; University o f Stellenbsoch ; University o f the W itw atersrand, Johannes­burg ; University o f Cape Town ; University o f Pretoria ; Free State Technical College, Bloemfontein.

Intermediate and Qualifying ExaminationsC ape Technical College, Cape Town ; East L ondon Technical College, East London ; N atal Technical College, D urban ; Pretoria Technical College, Pretoria ; Technical Col­lege, Port E lizab e th ; W itw atersrand Tech­nical College, Johannesburg ; Potchefstroom University, Potchefstroom .

I t will be no ted from the above th a t the course o f training for the Interm ediate Exam ination, being a pure science one, may be taken either a t the University o r a Technical College or the Boys’ High School, Kimberley.In the case o f the Qualifying Exam ination, however, with the exception o f Potchefstroom University, the course is only provided by the Technical Colleges.

D uring the course o f the Com m ittee’s investigations inform ation was received from the South African Phar­macy B oard that, implementing a decision passed at its April meeting, the question o f the m ost suitable place fo r training apprentices be reconsidered. At the statu tory meeting held a t the end o f July, 1950, the following resolu­tion was passed :— -* \

“The Board has been of the opinion that the training o f apprentices in open shops is the best system whereby an apprentice can receive adequate training, bu t as representations have been m ade by the provincial authorities urging the extension of the apprenticeship system to Provincial Hospitals and further, representations have been m ade urging its extension to wholesale and m anufacturing laboratories, the B oard is prepared to extend the apprenticeship system, to a limited extent, to approved institutions and wholesale and m anufacturing laboratories for the purpose o f testing the efficacy of such training." ^

PR E SEN T DAY PO S IT IO N O F TRAININ G IN GREAT BRITAIN, BELG IU M , N ETH ER LA N D S, U N ITED STATES O F AM ERICA , SW EDEN AND O T H E R C O U N TR IES

A consideration o f the various study systems of pharm a- ceutrical training shows very great differences from country to country and in the way in which training is done.

The professional w ork o f the pharm acist, until com ­paratively recently, was m ainly concerned with the pre­paration o f medicinal m aterials in this pharm acy, their analytical exam ination and preparation into m edicaments ready for use. W ith the advent o f highly complex chemical substances and antibiotics, the preparation o f which requires considerable and expensive apparatus, beyond the resources o f retail pharm acists, the whole complexion o f pharm acy has largely changed. To-day m any o f the prescriptions dispensed by pharm acists are simply reissues o f finished products o f the pharm aceutical chemical industry.

A recent enquiry conducted by a special comm ittee on “ E ducation in Pharm aceutics,” appointed by the In ter­national Pharm aceutical Federation in some 25 countries, revealed that with the exception of G reat Britain, where dispensing has increased about 2\ times since the in tro ­duction of the N ational H ealth Service, in all o ther countries the deveopm ent is in the direction o f a reduction o f dis­pensing proper and an increase in the prescription of medical specialities. This development has progressed a long way in Luxem bourg, Czecho-SIovakia and Greece while in Argentina and Algeria, for exam ple, dispensing hardly play any pa rt a t all. In some other countries, including the N etherlands, Yugoslavia, D enm ark, Sweden, Fin land, G reat Britain and N orthern Ireland, pharm acists still continue to do a good deal o f dispensing. Nevertheless, while it is essential th a t pharm acists should continue to prepare and dispense m edicam ents and in some countries it is considered that actual dispensing should increase, it is equally im portant th a t the pharm acist should have a basic training o f such a nature as to enable him to understand the various complex chem ical substances now in use, and the num ber o f which is constantly increasing.

The place o f preparation o f m anufactured medicam ents ready for use has shifted from the premises o f the retail pharm acist to those o f the wholesale m anufacturer, who m ust be a pharm acist.

In view o f this developm ent it is essential that the professional training in pharm acy should be. sufficiently comprehensive to enable the pharm acist to undertake such work and also to fit him for o ther spheres o f activity such as in hospital dispensing, testing laboratories for medical specialities and m any others which are libely to become necessary.

The curricula for pharm acists in all the countries referred to are built on a strict and sufficient secondary school education such as that required for entry to a University o r technical college. The m atriculation o r school leaving exam ination m ust be taken for entry to the pharm acy schools o r university in Belgium. Switzerland (m atura), the N etherlands, Sweden, G reat Britain. In the U nited States o f Am erica no m atriculation exam ination is necessary, bu t in all cases the candidate m ust have four years o f high school education as a prelim inary—the regulations for pharm acy are prescribed by the individual State B oard o f Pharm acy and they vary from State to State. The m odern study plans in these countries include lectures and practical courses in m athem atics, physical chemistry, anatom y and -physiology which are not found in countries with backward training program m es. The usual subjects taken are pharm a­ceutical chem istry (inorganic, organic and analytical), toxicological chemistry, food chem istry, pharm acognosy and microscopy, galenical pharm acy, hygiene and bacterio­logy to a varying degree, dependent upon the length o f the period o f study. Sweden, the U.S.A. and the N etherlands have extended the training and include physiological chemistry, biological chemistry, pharm acology and pharm aco-therapy as only with such knowledge is the pharm acist able to exercise expert contro l and render professional service to the doctor and persons needing

medicine. In all these countries the tendency is to increase the period o f study at college o r university up to five o r six years with a corresponding reduction in the length o f apprenticeship.

Reference to the table indicates that the duration of the individual periods o f study varies : F o r the natural science part, I to 2 years : Belgium, 2 years ; Netherlands, 3 years ; Switzerland, I j years ; Sweden, 1 year ; G reat Britain, 1 year : and the U nited States, 1 year ; the pro fessional scientific part, 1£ to 3 years : Belgium, 2 years ; N etherlands, 2 years ; Switzerland, 2 years ; Sweden,2 years ; G reat Britain, 2 years and the U nited States,3 years. The practical training in the different countries varies from 1 to 3 years ; the period being shown in the table. (In the U nited States the practical training taken after the scientific study varies from 1 to 4 years from State to State in all except four States where no practical training- is required and m ust be com pleted before a pharm acist becomes licensed. Legislation is being con­sidered to effect greater uniformity.) The practical training is taken either before, after o r during the scientific training in the different countries. The total duration o f the training varies from 4 to 6 years.

The N etherlands offers two types o f pharm aceutical training which vary in their scope according to whether the student desires to qualify as “ apotheker” o r “ apotheker assistant.” The form er qualifications m ust be taken a t a university and entitles the holder to become the owner or to be in charge o f a pharm acy and the latter “ to be assistant to a pharm acist.” Only pharm acists may be m em bers of the Society for the Advancem ent o f Pharm acy, which body arranged the courses and conducts the exam inations for pharm acist assistant.

The study for pharm acist covers a period o f a t least 5Jj years and three exam inations m ust be passed, the first two being university exam inations and the third, though the p reparation is a t the university, is a State Exam ination. The “ candidaats” exam ination is taken after three years, chem istry and botany being m ajor subjects with physics and general physiology o r minerology and geology as m inor subjects.

The “ D octoraal” exam ination has pharm acy as the m ajor subject with three m inor subjects and the following subjects m ust be covered : exam ination and value deter­m ination of foodstuffs and nutrition ; pharm aceutical zoology, m icrobiology ; physiology and applied physiology ; pharm acognosy ; galenica and preparation o f prescriptions and pharm aceutical preparations ; pharm acology and pharm aceutical chemistry. A choice may be m ade from the following : biochemistry, toxicology, electrochemistry, phytopathology, zoology, philosophy, m athem atics, psycho­logy and pharm aceutical technology.

The “ A potheker” (pharm acists) exam ination consists o f two parts : the chemical and botany section and the pharm aceutical section, the second part being taken half a year after the first. In addition the second part can only be passed if the student can produce p roof that he has worked in a pharm acy for one year, or, if he has taken the "pharm acist assistant” exam ination, six m onths, of which at least three m onths m ust be spent in a hospital pharm acy. This w ork is usually done during the vacations.

The State Examining Body consists o f university professors and lecturers and o f specialists in the different subjects appointed by the M inister o f Education.

The “ A potheker A ssistent" exam ination is arranged by the Association for the Advancem ent o f Pharm acy. The theoretical courses take two years for com pletion and the practical part two years in a pharm acy under apprenticeship conditions. The candidate who wishes to enter for the course must pass an entrance exam ination or m ust satisfy the authorities that he has undergone a satisfactory school education. The subjects for the course are : N etherlands language, arithm etic, history, geography and one o ther m odern language. Elem entary chemistry, physics, botany and m ateria medica. Elem entary knowledge o f Latin,

knowledge o f synonyms and prescription reading. Dis­pensing and study o f the Pharm acopoeia. Knowledge of the laws o f pharm acy.

The pharm aceutical training in Switzerland is taken at a university. A t the university the same prelim inary course is followed as that for medical, dental and veterinary students. Tf e r i is no degree in pharm acy com parable with th a t given in th ; English universities ; the only qualification being the State D iplom a. The first part o f the course for the natural sciences exam ination covers 1£ years. The syllabus em braces physics, chem istry and botany and may be com pared with that required for the intermediate exam ination. Successful candidates receive a "certificate in N atural Sciences for Pharm acists” which enables them to proceed with the next stage o f their professional training.

The prospective pharm acist m ust leave college for the next H years a t least to carry out the first part o f his practical training either in a pharm acy or in hospital pharm acy or both. Factory training is not recognised. The student known as the P raktikant may undertake training with any qualified pharm acist along special lines laid down by regulation. At the end of the training he must pass the assistant’s exam ination which is predominantly practical. The successful candidate m ust then spend 12 m onths as an assistant to a pharm acist in a pharm acy or hospital. The pharm acist is expected to tu to r the assistant. N o exam ination is taken a t the end o f this year. The student returns once m ore to college, where he m ust study for a further two years.

The syllabus for the final course covers inorganic, organic pharm aceutical chemistry, chemical toxicology, pharm acognosy, galenical and official pharm acy, thera­peutics, food chemistry, hygiene and bacteriology. “ K olloquia,” i.e., tu torials are freely given as a m eans o f instruction, and lecture periods are devoted to answering questions orally. Students prepare reports and papers on their work, and in this way their knowledge is tested. There are no written exam inations. The final exam ination for the State D iplom a is different from that in Britain. T he student is set certain practical tasks to complete and he may consult any literature on the subject before com ­mencing. The reports on the work may be typed or written a t home. The oral part o f the exam ination takes place a few weeks later and consists o f a 20-30 m inutes test in each subject.

Each student is examined by his professor as an “ in ternal” student.

There is a similarity between the pharm aceutical training in Sweden, Switzerland and in the N etherlands. In Sweden, the intending pharm acist, after having m atriculated, carries ou t a two-year course o f practical training in a pharm acy before the comm encement o f the interm ediate course. Students are classified as "Pharm acy A ” o r "Pharm acy B” students, depending on whether they aspire to become licensed pharm acists (i.e., owners o f pharmacies) o r intend to continue as highly qualified technical assistants. Students m ust decide on and register their group before commencing practical training.

The m atriculation o f the form er group is followed by two year's practical training in a pharmacy, the latter carry ou t practical training for one year. After this training the student writes the Assistants’ Exam ination and if successful becomes a "pharm aceutical assistant.” The exam ination consists o f two parts, theoretical and practical. The practical exam ination is in galenical pharmacy; dispensing and chemistry. The oral exam ination is in pharmacognosy, botany, chem istry, technology, forensic pharm acy and translations from a Latin Pharm acopoeia. He must present a letter o f good conduct from his pharmacist m aster and his practical note books including a herbarium o f a t least 150 plants. Students then return to their pharm acy schools for a course o f one year, the scope of the syllabus depending on the group. Pharm acy “ A ” students take a complete course culm inating in the B. Pharm . exam ination. Pharm acy “ B” students follow a course which term inates

in a modified B. Pharm . exam ination. This ends the training for Pharm acy “ B” students ; in all they will have been given instruction in chemistry, pharm aceutical chemistry, botany and pharm acognosy, pharm aceutical technologu and forensid pharmacy. Their function is dispensing and light m anufacturing in pharm acies and they are known as “ pharm aceutists.”

The B. Pharm . exam ination a t the university does not com plete the training of the prospective licensed phar­macists, fo r it is followed by another year as assistant, and finally two m ore years at the university, term inating with the pharm acist’s degree. The subject studies during the com plete training are : inorganic and physical chemistry, inorganic pharm aceutical chem istry, organic chemistry, organic pharm aceutical chemistry, botany, pharm acognosy, physics, pharm acology, m icrobiology, pharm aceutical tech­nology, forensic and historical pharm acy. Pharm acists jo in the Pharm acists Society. Proprietorship o f a Swedish pharm acy is a privilege granted only by Royal Charter, and individual pharm acists have to be nam ed by an Order- in-Council before such proprietorship can take effect.

The prospective en tran t for a career in pharm acy in G reat Britain must have passed the M atriculation Exam ina­tion o r its equivalent. There are three distinct periods of study which the student m ust undergo. There are : (i) a course o f study o f one academ ic year in preparation for the Interm ediate Exam ination ; (ii) a course o f study occupying two academ ic years in preparation for the Qualifying Exam ination ; and (iii) a course o f practical training in a pharm acy, hospital o r m anufacturing pharm aceutical laboratory under conditions approved by the Council o f the Pharm aceutical Society.

The standard o f the Interm ediate Exam ination approxi­mates that o f the interm ediate exam ination in science a t the university and may be taken in the university o r an approved institution. The subjects are biology, chemistry and physics.

The student, after satisfying the regulations for the Interm ediate Exam ination, can com plete his studies either by undergoing a two-year full-time course a t an approved school o f pharm acy in preparation for the Qualifying Exam ination, followed by one year o f practical training in a pharm acy, hospital o r pharm aceutical laboratory, o r by undergoing two years o f practical training (under articles o f pupilage) in a pharm acy, etc., followed by a two-year full­time course o f study at an approved school o f pharm acy in preparation for the Qualifying Exam ination. A student who has obtained a university degree in pharm acy may apply for admission to the Qualifying Exam ination and be examined only in forensic pharm acy. W hen he has passed the exam ination and undergone one year's pupilage he may be resistered as a pharm aceutical chemist.

The syllabus for the Interm ediate Exam ination includes the subjects biology (botany and zoology), chem istry and physics. F o r the Qualifying Exam ination the following subjects m ust be taken : pharm aceutical chem istry, pharm a­ceutics, pharm acognosy, physiology, forensic pharmacy. Theoretical and practical exam inations are taken.

The training for pharm acists in the U nited States of Am erica is laid down in regulations by the individual State Boards o f Pharm acy and they vary from S tate to State. The candidate must have four years o f high school educa­tion as a prelim inary, although no m atriculation exam ination is required. He m ust spend four years a t college studying pharm acy before he can sit for his licensing exam ination.

The student takes an exam ination in the theoretical subjects after four years study at university and if successful qualifies for the B.S. (Bachelor o f Science) degree in phar­macy. This degree does no t give the graduate the right to practise, fo r he m ust now undergo a period o f practical training varying from one to four years, according to the State in which he wishes to practise. A fter a further exam ina­tion in practical pharm acy he is granted a licence, provided he has reached the age o f 21 years. The licence is only valid in the State in which it was obtained. The Am erican Council for Pharm aceutical E ducation was form ed to lay

down standards for education and registration. A typical curriculum for the B.S. degree in pharm acy (New Y ork State) includes the following : botany, zoology, physiology, bacteriology and public health, first aid, pharm acognosy, pharm acology, toxicology, inorganic and organic chemistry', qualitative and quantitative analysis, pharm aceutical technology, dispensing pharm acy, pharm aceutical juris­prudence, survey o f pharm acy, pharm aceutical economics, graphical analysis and trigonom etry, analytical geometry and elem entary calculus, physics, and ending with a study o f “contem porary civilisation.”

Higher degrees in pharm acy may be taken a t the universities in all countries.

Chapter IVCRITICISM OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF TRAIN­

ING AND THE PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF THE UN IO N OF SOUTH AFRICA IN RESPECT OF PHARMACEUTICAL TRAINING

It was a t once evident that the entrants to the profession were chosen and determ ined by those persons in charge of pharm acies in which an apprentice could be accepted and th a t the aspiring candidate had, therefore, no free choice if he could no t find a master.

M ost persons giving evidence were closely questioned as to whether this was considered to be the correct m anner for the choice o f en tran ts and entry to the profession. M em bers o f the Pharm acy B oard and the Pharm aceutical Society considered this m ethod to be correct and saw no objection to it. M any other persons giving evidence, however, were em phatic th a t the entry in to pharm acy should be the sam e as fo r the o ther professions.

There are over 500 m asters in South Africa training apprentices and they are the electors who choose the candidates who will eventually constitute the profession.

As m ost o f the pharmacies which are able to accept apprentices are in the large towns, and the Technical Colleges which have in the past given the part-tim e or full-time teaching are also in the large centres, it has been m ore difficult for the ru ral student to obtain entry.

T he following figures as furnished by the South African Pharm acy B oard indicate the to ta l num ber o f pharmacies and apprentices in the U nion and South-W est Africa :—

Union Total Cape Province . .N a t a l ....................Orange Free State T ransvaal South-W est Africa

No. o f Pharmacies

1,296 400 164 62

661 9

No. o f Apprentices

561 124 70 23

343 1

The following table for the four Provinces o f the U nion indicates the percentage num ber o f apprentices being trained in the larger tow ns where Technical College facilities a re accessible, and in the sm aller towns where no such facilities a re within reach :—

L A R G E TOW NS SM ALL TOW NS

PRO V IN C E No.o f

Phar­macies

No.o f

A p­pren­tices

Per­cent­age

No.o f

Phar­macies

No.o f

Ap­pren­tices

Per­cent­age

Cape 259 98 38 140(75)

.25 18

N atal 113 55 49 51(37)

15 29

O.F.S. 16 13 81 42(30)

10 24

Transvaal . . 593 312 53 68(43)

31 46

H o te — Figures show n thus (75) indicate the num ber of towns.

I t will be seen from the above figures that the percentage proportion o f the num ber o f apprentices to the num ber o f pharm acies is far greater in the larger tow ns where Tech­nical College facilities exist.

Y our Com m ittee hopes that if its recom m endations are acted on, this m ay be remedied to some extent, as all candidates will be required to a ttend full-time university courses. In the medical, dental, veterinary and engineering professions, the choice o f candidates who aspire to become members o f these professions is m ade by the universities, which are bodies with a public o r state charter. The choice is m ade in the course o f the first year o f study and thereafter during the further academ ic study. It is felt that this function with regard to the pharm acist should also rest w ith public hodies like universities.

In this connection your Com m ittee is em phatic that persons wishing to enter the pharm aceutical professi(pn should be able to do so after a full-time period o f academic, scientific and practical study, followed by a period ot pupilage in a private pharm acy or a hospital pharm acy or a m anufacturing pharm acy approved by the Pharm acy Board. .

In the U nited States o f Am erica the opinion held ot pharm acy is adequately sum m ed up in a "G uidance Leaflet for P h arm acy /’ issued by th a t G overnm ent, wherein it is said, “The services o f a pharm acist renders are so im portant a n d ’ the substances he handles so dangerous, that five traits o f character and personality should constantly contro l his actions, namely, accuracy, honesty, dependability, professional technique and cleanliness.” The following paragraph occurs in a further official document.

“ The pharm acist m ust be a cultured m an, he m ust possess professional m orals and those psy­chological and ethical traits th a t have dem onstrated their im portance ; he m ust be fam iliar with the comm ercial phases o f pharm acy ; he m ust be able to fill prescrip­tions accurately ; he .must understand which drugs should be m anufactured and which drugs should be purchased ; he should be able to furnish inform ation and materials, for the contro l o f insects, fungi, etc. ; he m ust be com petent to understand and use the U nited States Pharm acopoeia and the N ational Form ulary ; he m ust be able to disseminate inform ation about public health and furnish first-aid m aterial and advice, he should know som ething abou t the na ture o f disease ; he should have a wide range of miscellaneous scientific knowledge outside o f the college curriculum in pharm acy ; he m ust be familiar w ith the Federal and State Laws governing his profession ; he m ust grow in inform ation and skill after he graduates. His duties and functions are everchanging and he must be active in his work in o rder to keep up to date. Some pharm acists m ust carry on research work. In all o f these activities he should co-operate with physicians in the interest of public health .”

These rem arks apply equall well to this country as was emphasised by several persons bo th in their m em oranda and evidence before the Com mittee.

It would seem th a t the present background of intending pharm acists, in general, leaves som ething to be desired.

The pharm acist’s training in this country to-day leaves him in the position that his knowledge of the fundam ental sciences is too restricted an d no t correlated to the practical needs o f pharm acy. . . .

As stated in the report, a study o f the training loi pharm acists in some 25 countries as it exists to-day, shows a definite trend in the direction of a longer period o f study in the university o r college extending up to five o r six years,

with corresponding reduction in the length o f apprentice­ship, such studies being com parable with those devoted to undergraduate studies in cognate professions. It is interesting to note that there is no lack o f entrants into pharm acy in G reat Britain as a result o f the extended period of studies im posed as from June, 1948.

U nder the present system of training in this country the registered apprentice comm ences his training in a retail pharm acy with the m atriculation exam ination as his educational foundation. H e commences without an academ ic background and his knowledge, in the main, is insufficient to cope with w hat is required o f him. Thus an apprentice with no knowledge of chemistry might be called upon to m ake up prescriptions. A better understanding ot such subjects as chem istry and pharm acology would, therefore, be necessary. The C om m ittee cannot bu t condemn a system where the apprenticeship is started w ithout a suitable academic background.

The syllabus as laid down for the exam ination of chem ists and druggists does no t keep pace with the present developm ent o f the pharm aceutical profession and there would seem to be a considerable lag.

The Com m ittee after considering the evidence subm itted is o f the opinion that the present scheme of training leads to the determ ination o f suitability o r otherwise o f students to the profession, only after som e years o f apprenticeship. Hence they may be forced to rem ain in the profession in spite o f the fact th a t they m ay find themselves unsuitable for pharmacy.

It would seem that the result o f the shortcom ings of the present scheme o f training is shown by a consideration o f the latest figures relating to the persons registered with the South African Pharm acy Board, which reveal that there are 561 apprentices registered and 634 unregistered assistants, who are persons who have completed their three- year apprenticeship bu t have no t passed the examinations.

The Com m ittee considered the question o f the low percentage o f passes by candidates entering for the Qualifying Exam ination for chem ists and druggists and the figures for ten exam inations are quoted—December, 1944 June , 1945 December, 1945 June, 1946

30% 43.3% 41.8% 27.7%December, 1946 June, 1947 December, 1947 June, 1948

54% 44.6% 34.2% 38.2%December, 1948 June, 1950

17.3% 32%The figure for December, 1948, was possibly the lowest

on record, bu t this has shown considerable improvem ent as the figure for June, 1950, indicates. Chem istry accounts for the greatest num ber o f failures in the exam ination.

The conclusion was reached that the low num ber of passes could possibly be ascribed inter alia to the fact that what was required o f the students as set ou t in the syllabus could not be covered adequately during the tim e allowed and to a certain unsuitability o f the students.

The whole question o f the apprenticeship has been fully gone into. A t present there is a three year apprentice­ship and the continuance of this system is very strongly advocated and supported by bo th the South African Pharm acy Board and the Pharm aceutical Society o f South Africa to a varying degree. In view o f this strong support for the existing three years’ apprenticeship in its present form immediately after the first year o f study or even before it, by these authorities, the Com mittee has given very special and detailed consideration to all schemes in o ther countries and to the needs o f South Africa and has based its recom m endations as set out later, accordingly.

The three years’ apprenticeship, according to the most recent inform ation, has been discarded in m ost countries with a widening of the professional training by the inclusion of additional subjects, as the knowledge acquired is necessary for understanding the continually increasing synthetic medicinal m aterials pu t on the m arket in the form ot special preparations.

T o quote a leading professor o f pharm acology on this poin t would no t be out o f place :■—

“There seems to be no reason nowadays for a lengthy period o f apprenticeship. Just as apprentice­ship has slipped into the lim bo o f the past in the training o f the medical practitioner, so the time has arrived in pharm acy for the relegation o f the apprenticeship to a secondary place com m ensurate with its altered im ­portance.”

“ Years ago the traintee in pharm acy could very well acquire the bulk o f the necessary knowledge and skill (and it was very considerable), in the course o f the rou tine trade in the chem ist’s shop, but this is not now the case. M any of the preparations and procedures, which were then com m onplaces, have now disappeared from ordinary trade. To expect practical facility in the m aking o f m any o f these preparations, specially in an exam ination, is an anachronism and form s no useful basis for the selection o f individuals as suitable for entry into the practice o f pharm acy.”

Based on the rem arks quoted above and the opinions expressed by o ther witnesses, the num ber o f prescriptions to be dispensed by an apprentice during his full-time training is a m atter for discussion and agreem ent between the South African Pharm acy B oard and the universities.

The evidence furnished in regard to part-tim e study courses for the exam inations for chemists and druggists revealed that such courses, fo r econom ic reasons, were provided, bu t the results show th a t part-tim e study is not satisfactory. In view o f the fact that the period o f study was so m uch longer for part-tim e courses it is doubtful w hether financially there was any advantage.

The Com m ittee is convinced, therefore, that the tim e has arrived for a scheme o f full-time study and training to take the place o f the present system.

The C om m ittee is certain th a t bearing in m ind the rap id development o f the country, bo th industrially and otherwise, there will be a progressively increasing dem and for pharm acists in South Africa. The large non-European population is becom ing m ore health conscious and there is the tendency to go m ore and m ore to the pharm acist for m edicinal requirements. The shortage o f trained p h ar­m acists in hospital services m ust be met. Private pharm acies will require pharm acists to m eet the expansion o f p h ar­macies to m ore rem ote districts where such services are required. M anufacturing chemists are requiring m ore highly trained personnel for production. In the field o f research there is likely to be a keen dem and for the phar­m acist w ith higher pharm aceutical qualifications, and pharm acists are needed to fill the teaching posts in the training institutions.

C oncerning the shortage o f pharm acists in hospitals the evidence revealed that, generally speaking, there was no shortage for private pharm acies. So few applications for vacancies in institutions were received, however, th a t the posts in m any cases could no t be filled. It would appear that the salaries offered com pared unfavourably with those obtain ing in retail pharm acy.

It is thus essential for the future needs o f the country that a larger num ber o f pharm acists m ust qualify than a t present.

The figures for the period 1947/50 show th a t 545 pharm acists trained and qualified in the Union.

It is reasonable to regard a 30 per cent, increase in the num ber o f pharm acists qualifying as a minimum require­m ent for the next five years, which w ould necessitate an annual figure o f at least 200.

The figures below indicate the possible annual needs o f the profession for the spheres where pharm acists are required :—

Private pharm acies ............................. 120Hospitals ........................................... 35Teaching personnel 2W holesalers and M anufacturing

Chemists ........................................... 15Research pharm acists, miscellaneous

(Locum , etc.) 13Representatives 15

Chapter VENCROACHM ENT O N THE PHARMACEUTICAL

PROFESSIONThe Com m ittee has stressed the necessity for a secure

foundation for pharm acists in South Africa resting on sound scientific, academ ic and practical training.

It is clear that in this country only one-half o f the pharm acists have the opportun ity o f exercising their rightful function o f dispensing medicines prescribed by the medical, dental and veterinary professions in view o f the fact that the great m ajority o f medical practitioners in the ru ra l areas do their own dispensing. Pharm acists are specially trained for this purpose.

The Com m ittee is o f the opin ion that steps should be taken to limit the dispensing rights o f medical and dental practitioners and veterinarians to the supply o f drugs in an emergency only and to those areas where no pharm acy is available within a distance o f two miles. F u rth e r, it should be considered whether the licences o f general dealers should no t be limited similarly in the m atter o f the stocking and sale o f medicines and drugs when a pharm acist is available. If this is done, however, and there is evidence th a t there will be no objection, the pharm acist also should be lim ited to supplying only such items pertaining to medicine, preventive and curative o r which are regarded as being covered by his apothecary licence.

The professional status o f the pharm acist would be considerably enhanced in this way and m any country areas would benefit to the extent that they would acquire pharm acies.

The pharm acist w ith a good scientific background would be m uch m ore valuable and his knowledge could be useful to any com m unity as also his well-informed assistance in the fields o f hygiene and the prevention o f contam ination. The availability o f pharm acists, therefore, is o f great practical im portance in a country as sparsely populated as ours.

Chapter VITHE TRAINING OF NO N-EURO PEAN CANDIDATES

I t is extremely ra re under the present apprenticeship system for a non-E uropean candidate to find a m aster to train him as a pharm acist.

U nder the schemes outlined by the Com mittee, it will be possible to give the academ ic course to all races wishing to enter pharm acy and the practical course in hospitals for non-European persons.

This eventuality will m ake it possible to extend the facilities afforded by pharm acies to non-E uropean areas and in this way rapidly afford the benefits to large com ­m unities no t catered fo r a t present.

The scheme outlined by the C om m ittee m akes possible the training o f non-E uropeans to cater for the require­m ents o f non-E uropeans in predom inantly non-E uropean areas.

Chapter VIIPRO PO SALS AND RECOM M ENDATIO NS FOR A

NEW SYSTEM OF TRAINING FOR PHAR­M ACISTS IN SO UTH AFRICA

A lthough there was som e defence for the part-tim e teaching o f the subjects for the first o r Interm ediate Exam ination, the overw helm ing m ass o f evidence was against the continuance o f the system of part-tim e classes fo r chem istry, physics, Zoology and B otany and the C om m ittee m ust again sta te w ith emphasis that no part o f the practical train ing should be undertaken b e fo re the

entire academic course in all subjects has been successfully completed. We are o f opinion, m oreover, that the University D epartm ents, which already cater so extensively for these subjects are the best places to pursue such studies. The Technical Colleges in the past have perform ed an excellent service in supplying a need for which no specific provision, with the exception o f Potchefstroom University, was m ade in the universities elsewhere.

In regard to the studies for the Qualifying Exam ination, one year o f full-time study is dem anded a t present and this is given as certain technical colleges and at the Potchefsti oom University. The Com m ittee finds th a t in view of the wide scope of the syllabus and the m odern requirem ents o f the profession for which provision is m ade in o ther countries, a t least two years, full-time study, following the one year for the Interm ediate Exam ination, should be the minim um period for the scientific, academ ic and- practical require­m ents, to be followed by the period of pupilage.

This would be in accordance with m odern practice and would, in the case o f the university training, lead to a B.Sc. degree in pharm acy, with the possibility o f the student taking higher degrees in pharm acy, for which provision should be m ade in the universities.

M r. O p’t H of giving evidence on behalf o f the Union D epartm ent o f Education, stated th a t the D epartm ent o f Education would not support any degree courses being taken a t institutions o ther than the universities and, as pharm acy was regarded as a higher profession, such higher p ro ­fessional training should lead to a degree taken at a university. Beyond this, it is reasonable to conclude that provision could be m ade for further advanced study and for research in pharm acy by the universities and them anufacturing firms.

There can be no doubt th a t certain universities, parti­cularly those with medical faculties, should provide the schools o f the future and th a t they will prove to give the m ost satisfactory background for so highly specialised a profession, is certain.

All exam inations for pharm acy, as is the case ot the medical and dental exam inations, should be conducted by the university together with external exam iners. The South African Pharm acy B oard should have the right o f inspection o f all exam inations conducted by the university

There are a t present well over 500 pharm acies in which apprentices are serving their three years’ apprenticeship. There should, therefore, be no difficulty in finding m asters for pupilage purposes for one year in pharmacies, approved hospitals and factories for those qualifying from the universities. , , , . . .

The training for pharm acists should be undertaken eventually by universities, preferably those with medical schools on the curriculum as outlines. C ertain universities have indicated their willingness to arrange for such courses provided the dem and is sufficient and it is encouraging to find so keen a spirit o f enterprise in supplying the very best and m ost suitable background for such education. The Com mittee recom mends that four centres w ould be the maximum num ber o f institutions required for such tiain ing for m any years to come.

The representations o f the South African Pharm acy B oard and the Pharm aceutical Society o f South Africa stressed the need for continuing the apprenticeship system very strongly and the Com m ittee agrees th a t it should be provided for to the extent recom mended, namely, one year o f pupilage to be undergone after com pletion o f the full-time course o f three years and after obtaining the B.Sc. (Pharmacy) degree. A t the end o f the year o f pupilage and after satisfactorily com pleting the four years’ course, the candidate shall be entitled to registration as a phar­m acist with the South African Pharm acy Board.

The Com m ittee proposes a reconstitution of the South African Pharm acy B oard to m ake provision for six p h ar­macists to be elected by members o f the professions ; two pharmacists and one medical practitioner and one layman to be appointed to the B oard by the M inister and fo r one

representative from each university in which com plete pharm aceutical training is given. This suggested change will constitute a B oard consisting o f ten members plus one representing each university school o f pharm acy. To implement these proposals the Com m ittee has recom m ended certain am endm ents to the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act It is felt that the Pharm acy B oard, like the Medical and D ental Council, should be a body fully equipped to deal with the educational aspect o f the profession, the interest o f the pharm acists themselves in all branches and finally, which is a m atter this Com m ittee regards as o f the utm ost im portance, the interest o f the public and the country, as a whole.

There is an increasing dem and in the country for hospital pharm acists and pharm acists fo r em ploym ent in m anu­facturing firms. There has been evidence to show that at various times there has been a shortage o f pharm acists trained in hospitals and the Com m ittee, therefore, recom ­mends th a t pupilage be perm itted in approved hospital pharm acies and in m anufacturing concerns. Am ple evidence has been ofrthcom ing to show that m any institutions can provide adequate practical training o r experience to r intending pharm acists. As it was felt in som e quarters th a t a pupil trained in a hospital could only be employed in a hospital on becom ing registered, the Com m ittee wishes to state that irrespective o f where the pupilage was under­gone, the pharm acist should be entitled to pursue his profession in any sphere o f pharm acy.Proposals for the Transition Period

It is recom m ended that all apprentices who are regis­tered as such with the Pharm acy Board at a fixed date when the training passes into the hands of the universities, shall be entitled to com plete their training under the conditions for training existing a t the tim e o f the registration o f their apprenticeship. Suitable provision should be made toi apprentices who have comm enced their training and who wish to do so, to com plete their training a t the university under the proposed scheme. The following general schemeis suggested :— . ,

(1) It m ust be left to the various universities who undertake the training to determ ine w hat credit can be given for academ ic and scientific courses wholly o r partly completed :

(2) Credit should likewise be given by the university in consultation with the Pharm acy B oard for periods o f apprenticeship already served.

Chapter VIIIAM ENDM ENTS TO THE MEDICAL, DENTAL AND

PHARMACY ACT, 1928 (Act No. 13 OF 1928)Y our Com m ittee is o f the opinion th a t in order to

implement its proposals set ou t in the previous chapter, certain am endm ents to the Medical, D ental and Pharm acy Act. No. 13 of 1928, will be necessary.

It is felt th a t the term “ pharm acist" ra ther than “chem ist and druggist,” m ore aptly describes a person carrying on the profession or trade o f pharm acy and, as pharm acy is regarded as a higher profession w arranting university status, the term s “ apprentice” and "apprentice­ship" should be changed. It is recommended, therefore, that in the Act, unless inconsistent with the context, the words “ pharm acist,” “ pupil” and “pupilage ’ be sub­stituted for the words “ chemist and druggist, “ apprentice and “ apprenticeship” wherever they occur.

It is recom m ended that the constitution of the South African Pharm acy B oard be altered to allow for the inclusion as a m em ber o f the B oard o f a person not rjpS's- tered under the Act and a representative from each o f the universities where pharm acists are trained. This will entail the am endm ent o f parag raph (3) o f section two o f the Act and the addition o f a new clause (m) in sub- paragraph (a) o f paragraph (6) reading as follows : "Every university in the U nion in which a com plete training m pharm acy is given, shall appoint a pharm acist,” and a lter

the word “council" insert the words “ or the bo ard ” ; paragraph (7) should be deleted.

The recom m endation o f the Com m ittee that the length o f the period of studies be increased with reduction in the length o f the apprenticeship period and that such studies should be undertaken at the university to m ake them com parable with those devoted to undergraduate studies in the cognate professions, requires am endm ent o f sections 23, 25 and 26 o f the Act in order that the sections should apply to the B oard and pharm acists as well as to the Council and medical practitioners and dentists. In addition, section 27, which refers to the three-year apprenticeship which the Com m ittee recom mends should be reduced to a one years’ pupilage, and section 28, the provisions o f which w ould be covered by the suggested am endm ent o f section 23, should be deleted. Provision should be made in the Act for determining the period o f satisfactory pupilage which shall cover a period o f one year and also, to em pow er the Board to m ake rules thereanent, possibly a t the end o f section 94 (i). This section should be am ended on account o f the proposed change regarding apprentice­ship and “ Agreements o f pupilage” o r a like term should be used in place o f “contracts o f apprenticeship.”

The Pharm acy B oard’s exam ination rules and syllabus an d the rules relating to registration o f contracts o f apprentice appearing on pages 134/207 o f the Codified

Rules will require am endm ent as a result o f these recom ­m endations.

Y our Com m ittee when investigating the question o f the encroachm ent on the pharm aceutical profession dealt with in C hapter V, felt that a recom m endation be m ade th a t the second proviso to section 37 (1) (b) o f the Act be deleted as it no longer served any useful purpose and that con­sideration be given to the am endm ent o f section 51 regarding the stocking and sale o f poisons by general dealers.

The Com m ittee wishes to express its appreciation and thanks to those bodies, institutions and individuals who, a t such short notice, furnished m em oranda and gave evidence before it. The assistance o f the consular repre­sentatives who obtained inform ation in regard to pharm a­ceutical training in overseas countries is gratefully acknowledged.

S ig n ed :K. B R E M E R , Chairman.D . G. STEYNM A R IA G . B REY ER I Members.

JA. I. M A LA N P. ALLAN N O R M A N E. G R E E N W O O D ,

Secretary.

COMMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICAN PHARMACY BOARD ON REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY INTO THE TRAINING OF CHEMISTS & DRUGGISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

These are the Comments which were sent to the Minister of Healthduring August, 1951

1. The R eport o f the Com m ittee appointed by the Hon. the M inister o f H ealth to enquire in to the training o f Chemists and Druggists received the earnest consideration o f the Board at its special m eeting held during April, 1951.2. The decision o f the M inister to withhold from the B oard the m em oranda which were placed before the Com m ittee and on which it presum ably based its con­clusions was noted with regret. It is felt th a t a very useful purpose would have been served had the Board been perm itted, as it had requested, to assist in obtaining evidence from witnesses by having a representative present at the sittings to pu t questions to them. The Board accordingly finds itself greatly handicapped in comm enting o n the R eport w ithout having any knowledge o f the

f evidence on which it is based. The B oard submits, with due respect, th a t m any o f the statem ents contained in C hapter IV o f the R eport are fallacious and appear to be based on apparently one-sided or incomplete evidence and inform ation which it m ight have been possible to judge in better perspective had the Board been accorded per­mission to assist the Com m ittee as above.3. The B oard has been inform ed by the M inister that he will deal solely with the R eport and will n o t consider discussion on the evidence on which it is based. F o r the reasons stated in Paragraph 2, the B oard considers this to be m ost unfortunate.4. Before offering detailed com m ents on the R eport the B oard feels it m ay be o f advantage to recapitulate the following points from its M em orandum o f August 1, 1950, to the Com mittee o f Enquiry :—

(a) Historically, pharm acy South Africa has developed ou t o f the m ethods and traditions m ade use o f by chemists and druggists from overseas.

(b) Initially they cam e chiefly from G reat Britain bringing w ith them the English, as distinct from the C ontinental system.

(c) Both systems have the sam e general requirements, viz., a standard o f general education required before entering pharm acy ; apprenticeship ; pro­fessional training ; exam ination and qualification.

(d) The m ain difference between the two systems lies in the m ethod by which the chem ist and druggist carries ou t his calling which is, in the case o f the English system, an open type of unrestricted practice, w ith a parallel freedom on the part o f unqualified persons to deal in a very large variety o f medicinal products (patent and proprietary medicines, etc.).

(e) T he Continental system operates under licences granted by the State lim iting the num ber o f p har­macies and giving to the chemist and druggist the sole right to sell medicinal products.

5. W ith the above (Paragraphs 4 (a), 4 ib), 4 (c) ) in m indtherefore and in the light o f experience gained under the Provincial Pharm acy Boards (prior to 1928) and since, under the Medical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, the B oard was in the position o f having to fram e an educational and training policy which would realistically conform to the evolution o f pharm acy as practised in South Africa.

6. From time to time in the past the Board has considered

criticism o f the academ ic and practical m ethods o f training chemists and druggists and has consistently im proved and am ended its requirem ents and the Regulations to accom ­m odate a variety o f changes devised to m eet progress.

(a) Facilitating entry to pharmacy.(i) Taking o f m ore than one apprentice in a

pharmacy.(ii) Recognition o f a large num ber o f teaching

institutions for academ ic training.(iii) A bolition o f requirem ent fo r m inim um

num ber o f 2,000 prescriptions to be dis­pensed per annum before an apprentice can be registered in the pharm acy.

(iv) Study and writing o f Prelim inary Scientific Exam ination o r Interm ediate Exam ination before comm encing apprenticeship.

(v) Recognition o f hospital dispensaries and wholesale dispensaries and wholesale m anu­facturing laboratories to a lim ited extent as places for training o f apprentices.

(ib) Improvement o f practical training during apprentice­ship.

(i) Regulations to establish m inim um require­m ents for equipm ent, space, facilities, etc., in pharm acies training apprentices.

(ii) C urriculum o f prescribed work (pharm a­copoeia preparations and prescriptions) to be perform ed by apprentices under M asters’ supervision and periodic inspection by the Board o f apprentices’ work.

(c) Advancement o f academic training.(i) Science subjects m ade com pulsory on

M atriculation Certificates o f en tran ts to pharm acy.

(ii) A bandonm ent o f part-tim e study for Qualify­ing Exam ination and replacem ent with com pulsory full-time training a t five Tech­nical Colleges and one University.

(iii) A ddition o f new subjects to syllabus for Interm ediate Exam ination (Zoology) and Qualifying Exam ination (Physiology) and general im provem ent, e laboration ancj m odernisation o f syllabus for bo th Exam ina­tions.

7. The statem ents m ade m Paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 o f these com m ents have, up to the time o f receiving the R eport o f the Com m ittee o f Enquiry, largely form ed the basis o f the B oard’s opinion th a t no good case had been m ade ou t for any fundam ental changes in its training system and that such changes as were required by the advancing stages o f the practice o f pharm acy, could be adequately accom m odated under the existing A ct and Regulations am ended as and when necessary.8. The R eport o f the Com m ittee o f Enquiry is however, o f such a na ture and offers recom m endations so wholly a t variance with the B oard’s present system, th a t it can only be concluded th a t the Com m ittee m ust have received evidence so weighty th a t it could no t endorse any pa rt at all o f the existing system and policy.9. W hile the nature o f such evidence (Paragraph 8) is n o t know n to the B oard o r apparent in the R eport it is clear th a t the Com m ittee took cognisance o f the encroach­m ent upon pharm acy by the m edical profession in regard to dispensing and by general dealers in the sale o f medicines and drugs. (C hapter V, R eport o f Com m ittee o f Enquiry.)10. The Board appreciates the Com m ittee’s realisation o f these vital problem s (Paragraph 9) which, if implemented in accordance with “ suggestions” m ade in C hapter V o f the R eport, would enable the B oard, and indeed the whole profession o f pharm acy, to alter fundam entally its a ttitude to proposals which envisage the m ost radical changes in training and education, and this w ould result in a short tim e in a great increase in the num ber o f chemists and

druggists and pharm acies available for the training o f apprentices. The B oard emphasises, however, that the Com m ittee o f E nquiry does no t in its R eport recommend these changes.11. C areful study o f the R eport has resulted in the Board offering the com m ents which follow and which are based on the accum ulated experience and knowledge o f the B oard over the past 22 years. The com m ent is respectfully subm itted for the consideration and guidance o f the Hon. the M inister.12. C H A PT E R I.—IN T R O D U C T IO N .

(a) This C hapter is factual and does no t call for comment except in regard to the extract quoted below.

(b) “ Your Committee met in Pretoria and heard evidence fro m the persons and bodies and organisations and institutions as set out in appendices I I and III."

The Board was refused access to this evidence o r the M em oranda upon which it m ay have been based and hence records th a t it is unable to com m ent thereon.13. C H A PT ER II.— PR E SE N T DAY ED U C A TIO N A N D T R A IN IN G O F C H EM ISTS A N D D R U G G ISTS IN T H E U N IO N .

This C hapter is factual and does no t call for comment.14. C H A PT ER I I I —PR E SE N T D A Y PO SITIO N O F T R A IN IN G IN G R E A T B R IT A IN , B ELG IU M , N E T H E R LA N D S, U N IT E D STATES O F A M ER IC A , SW ED EN A N D O T H E R C O U N TR IES.

(a) N o references appear to be m ade when detailing the systems o f training in C ontinental Countries, to the carefully controlled statu tory conditions under which pharm acy is practised in these countries nor to the protection and privileges which accrue therefrom and which have largely been the deciding elements in the developm ent o f the system o f training and pharm aceutical education adopted in such countries.

(b) N o reference is m ade to the fact, as stated recently by the Council o f the Pharm aceutical Society o f G reat Britain, th a t an extremely limited num ber o f persons entered pharm acy through the alternative system o f training (( i) Shortened Apprenticeship and (ii) qualification after training solely a t a University) adopted some years ago ; and those persons generally did no t enter retail pharmacy.

15. C H A PT E R IV —C R IT IC ISM O F T H E PR ESEN T SYSTEM O F T R A IN IN G A N D T H E PR ESEN T A N D F U T U R E N E E D S O F T H E U N IO N O F SO UTH A F R IC A IN R ESPEC T O F PH A R M A C EU TIC A L T R A IN IN G .

(a) “I t was at once evident that the entrants to the pro­fession were chosen and determined by those persons in charge o f pharmacies in which an apprentice could be accepted and that the aspiring candidate had therefore no free choice i f he could not fin d a master."

“There are over 500 masters in South Africa training apprentices and they are the electors who choose the candidates who will eventually constitute the profession.”

A t the tim e the Com mittee comm enced its deliberations there were in fact 561 chemists and druggists with regis­tered apprentices. Since the inception o f the B oard in 1929, 862 chemists and druggists have registered and trained apprentices. The selection o f the 2,259 apprentices registered to date has been m ade by those 862 chemists and druggists, based on the aptitude and suitability o f the applicants, and the selection has, in the B oard’s opinion, been m ade by those people best inform ed as to the qualities required o f a person wishing to enter the profession.

The selection o f students by the recognised universities m ust be based alm ost entirely on academic ability as reflected in their m atriculation certificates. A ttention is draw n to the quotation o n page 26 o f the R eport relating to the qualities required o f good chemists and druggists. The person w ho has had a student on a trial period o f

em ploym ent should be in the best position to judge his aptitude and suitability fo r the profession and the R eport offers no solution to the statem ent by the Com m ittee that aspiring candidates have no free choice.

(6) “A s most o f the pharmacies which are able to accept apprentices are in the large towns, and the Technical Colleges which have in the past given the part-time teaching are also in the large centres, it has been more difficult fo r the rural student to obtain entrv."

U nder existing conditions rural candidates m ay elect to attend courses o f study for the Interm ediate Exam ination a t any o f the 16 recognised training institutions listed on page 12 o f the R eport and may attend the course before o r after apprenticeship. Those in urban areas have the same choice bu t with the added advantage that, a t present, they m ay a ttend part-tim e courses during their apprenticeship. C andidates for the Qualifying Exam ination m ay attend at any o f the 7 training institutions on com pletion o f their apprenticeship.

U nder the system proposed in the Report the choice o f training institutions will be lim ited to four recognised universities, and the rural student will still suffer the disability o f being away from his home.

T he figures relating to the num ber o f apprentices employed in the large towns and in the small towns, as quoted in the R eport, appear to indicate that the rural population is no t sufficiently represented. This is mis­leading. The fact o f the m atter is that medical practitioners in the small towns and rural areas nearly all do their own dispensing and apprentices are forced to go to the towns to obtain em ploym ent in pharmacies where they will get adequate experience in dispensing. A lthough statistics are n o t available the Board is aware that a large percentage o f the apprentices now registered are drawn from rural areas and the percentage is increasing.

(<") “Your Committee is emphatic that persons wishing to enter the pharmaceutical profession should be able to do so after a full-tim e period o f academic, scientific and practical study, follow ed by a period o f pupilage in a private pharmacy or a hospital pharmacy or a manufacturing pharmacy approved bv the Pharmacy Board.”

A t present a candidate for admission to the exam inations m ust be registered as an apprentice under indentures which assure him o f the facilities for completing his practical training imm ediately after having completed his studies for the Interm ediate Exam ination. N o such provision is m ade in the proposed new system for the guaranteeing o f the opportunity o f undergoing his practical training, and the position may well arise that people with the requisite degrees m ay find it difficult to obtain admission to approved pharm acies either in hospitals o r elsewhere. It is considered possible th a t chemists and druggists will no t be anxious to employ pupils for a period o f one year. There are econom ic and practical considerations which, in the opinion o f the Board, m ilitate against such a proposal.

(d) “The pharmacist's training in this country to-dav leaves him in the position that his knowledge o f the fundam ental sciences is too restricted and not cor­related to the practical needs o f pharm acy.''

The Board can find nothing whatsoever in the R eport to support this extraordinary statem ent, and is a t a complete loss to know on w hat evidence this can be based. The syllabus for the exam inations was draw n up by the Board in direct consultation with a comm ittee o f educational experts and lecturers in all branches in 1947 and has been revised from time to time in the light o f changing conditions and advances in the fields o f medicine and pharmacy. Special a ttention has been given to the correlation o f the various branches as is evidenced by the in troduction o f Zoology in the Interm ediate course followed by Physiology in the Qualifying course.

(e) “ Under the present system o f training in this country the registered apprentice commences his training in a

retail pharmacy with the Matriculation examination as his educational foundation. H e commences without an academic background and his knowledge, in the main, is insufficient to cope with what is required o f him. Thus an apprentice with no knowledge o f chemistry might be called upon to m ake up pres- scriptions. A better understanding o f such subjects as chemistry and pharmacology would therefore be necessary. The Committee cannot but condemn a system where the apprenticeship is started without a suitable academic background."

In the case o f the student who attends a full-time course o f study for the Interm ediate Exam ination he is given a sound grounding in the pure sciences before he starts his work in the pharmacy. His three years learning and experience in the pharm acy are consolidated thereafter by a year’s study in the professional subjects and he is better able to appreciate what he is studying. In the case o f a student who attends his lectures during his apprenticeship, his instruction in the college goes hand-in-hand with that in the pharmacy.

The R eport states that the Com mittee“cannot but condemn a system where the apprentice­ship is started without a suitable academic back­ground."

Apprentices are perm itted by law to dispense medicines only under the supervision o f an approved chemist and druggist. Before being accepted as an apprentice a can­didate m ust produce evidence o f having included a t least one o f the appropriate science subjects in his m atriculation exam ination. In practice to-day nearly all o f the apprentices complete their studies for the Interm ediate Exam ination before comm encing their practical training in the pharmacy. Those who do not. study the sciencs subjects while getting their practical training.

( / ) "The syllabus as laid down fo r the examination o f chemists and druggists does not keep pace with the present development o f the pharmaceutical profession and there would seem to be a considerable lag."

The syllabus for the Qualifying Exam ination and that fo r the Interm ediate Exam ination are under constant review by the Board (See paragraphs 5 and 6 hereof) which consults with its Exam iners and other authorities and has had the advice o f a com petent Com mittee consisting of Lecturers and Professors at Universities and recognised teaching institutions. W hen m aking changes it has been necessary to m ake appropriate allowances for transition periods.

(g) “The evidence furnished in regard to part-time study courses fo r the examination fo r chemists and druggists revealed that such courses, fo r economic reasons, were provided, but the results show that part-time study is not satisfactory. In view o f the fa c t that the period o f study was so much longer fo r part-time courses it is doubtful whether financially there was any advantage."

"The Committee is convinced, therefore, that the time has arrived fo r a scheme o f full-tim e study and training to take the place o f the present system ."

It has been accepted by the Board that part-tim e courses o f study are unsatisfactoiy and it has already abolished such courses for the Qualifying Exam ination. I t has long been the intention to discontinue part-tim e courses for the Interm ediate Exam ination a t the opportune time.

(h) "A s sta ted in the Report a study o f the training fo r pharmacists in some 25 countries as it exists to-day shows a definite trend in the direction o f a longer period o f study in the university or college extending up to five or six years, with corresponding reduction in the length o f apprenticeship, such studies being comparable with those devoted to undergraduate studies in cognate professions.”

The B oard is no t convinced th a t there has been any tendency anywhere towards the extension o f the period o f

academ ic training and reduction o f practical training, with the exception perhaps o f the U nited K ingdom , and in that country the change has lately been the subject o f untavour- able reports.

(/) “ f t would, seem that the result o f the shortcomings o f the present scheme o f training is shown by a con­sideration o f the latest figures relating to the Persons registered with the South African Pharmacy Boatd, which reveal that there are 561 apprentices registered and 634 unregistered assistants, who are persons who have completed their three year apprenticeship but have not passed the examinations."

The Com m ittee’s reference to 634 unregistered assistants is misleading. T h at figure includes all o f the apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship since 1929 and have no t registered as chemists and druggists. It does not follow that they are to-day engaged in pharm acies but have no t been capable o f passing the qualifying exam ination.In Decem ber, 1950, over 100 of them wrote the exam ination fo r the first time, about a hundred had no t even commenced their course o f study for the exam ination. 0n ly70 o f them re-w rote the exam ination in December, 1950, and 50 had to write one subject only. A large num ber have turned to o ther professions, some have died, others have left the country and a num ber gave up their studies on getting m arried. Efforts have been m ade to trace as m any o f these unregistered assistants as possible and only 179 have been found who are still employed in pharm acies, hospitals or m anufacturing laboratories.

(k) “The Committee considered the question o f the low percentage o f passes by candidates entering fo r the Qualifying Examination fo r chemists and druggists and the figures fo r ten examinations are quoted :— December 1944 June, 1945 December. 1945

30% 43.3%June 1946 December, 1946 June, 1947

27.7% 54% 44.6%December 1947 June, 1948 December, 1948

34.2% 38.2% 17.3%June, 1950

32%The figure fo r December, 1948, was possibly the

lowest on record, but this has shown considerable improvement as the figure fo r June, 1950, indicates. Chemistry accounts fo r the greatest number o f failures in the examination.”

“The conclusion was reached that the low number o f passes could possibly be ascribed inter alia to the fact that what was required o f the students as set out in the syllabus could not be covered adequately during the time allowed and to a certain unsuitability o f the studen ts” .

T he statistics relating to the results o f the Qualifying E xam ination quoted in the R eport are used as an argum ent in favour o f a revision o f the system o f training. The B oard cannot agree with this.

The results are no worse than those in the United K ingdom or those in o ther professions in the Union. Evidence is available that the results lr o ther professional exam inations are worse and in some professions the weaker candidates are thrown out o f the universities o r o ther training institutions before they reach their final year.

The Board is convinced that in C hapter IV there is no substantial case presented fo r fundam ental and radical changes in the present system o f training and has to reaffirm the rem arks m ade in Paragraphs 8 and 11 o f these

c o m m e n ts ^ ! e r y .— E N C R O A C H M E N T O N T H E PH A R M A C EU TIC A L PR O FESSIO N .

(a) “It is clear that in this country only one half o f 1 he pharmacists have the opportunity o f exercising their rightful function o f dispensing medicines prescribed bv the medical, dental and veterinary professions in view o f the fa c t that the great majority o f medical

practitioners in the rural areas do their own dis­pensing. Pharmacists are specially trained fo r this purpose

The Board has no figures o f the num ber o f pharm acists in retail practice who do no t have the opportunity to carry ou t their rightful professional work as stated in Section 37 o f the Medical, D ental and Pharm acy Act. The Board and the Pharm aceutical Society o f South Africa have l egu- larly protested the seriousness o f this problem especially in ru ral areas.

(b) “The committee is o f opinion that steps should be taken to lim it the dispensing rights o f medical and dental practitioners and veterinarians to the supply o f drugs in an emergency only and to those areas where no pharmacy is available within a distance of two miles. Further, it should be considered whether the licences o f general dealers should not be limited similarly in the matter o f the stocking and sale o f medicines and drugs when a pharmacist is available.I f this is done, however, and there is evidence that there will be no objection, the pharmacist also should be lim ited to supplying only such items pertaining to medicine, preventive and curative or which are re­garded as being covered by his apothecary licence.

The Board notes that the opinions expressed above are no t reflected in the recom m endations m ade by the Com ­m ittee in C hapter VIII I f the suggestions were implemented the changed conditions for the better in the pharm aceutical profession would result in a short time in a greatly increased num ber o f chemists and druggists available and o f Pharm a­cies for registration o f apprentices and the Board would have to consider a revision o f the system o f training m order to m eet the new conditions.

(c) The Board observed this C hapter w ith great interest and is in full agreement with the principles stated therein ^

17. C H A PT ER VI.—T H E T R A IN IN G O F N O N - EU R O PEA N CA N D ID A TES.

“ f t is extremely rare under the present apprentice­ship system for a non-European candidate to find a master to train him as a pharmacist.

'■The scheme outlined by the Committee makes possible the training o f non-Europeans to cater fo r the requirements o f non-Europeans in predominantly non-European areas.”

The Board agrees that the proposed system will open the door wide to non-European students by adm itting them to a university course but wishes to point out that by the acceptance o f apprentices in the dispensaries ot approved hospitals the position o f the non-European candidate has been improved. N o restrictions are placed by the law or the Board on the training of these people. The restrictions are imposed by the country’s soca l 18 C H A PT ER VII.—PRO PO SALS A N D R E C O M ^ M EN D A TIO N S FO R A N EW SYSTEM O F T R A IN IN G F O R PH A RM A CISTS IN SO UTH A FR IC A .

(a) “The Committee finds that in view o f the wide scope o f the syllabus and the modern requirements of the profession fo r which provision is made in other countries, at least two years full-tim e study, following the one year o f the Intermediate Examination, should be the minimum period fo r the scientific, academic and practical requirements, to be followed by the period o f pupilage.” ,

The em phatic assertion that no part o f the practical training should precede the academ ic course is no t borne ou t by the evidence subm itted in the graph appearing in Appendix VI to the Report. Support cannot be found tor that principle in C hapter III either, except for the case o f the U nited States o f America. Even there the final exam ina­tion takes place after the practical training.

The present syllabus for the Qualifying Exam ination has only been in operation fo r a short time and the first exam ination to be held on it took place in June, 1951.

Board has had under consideration the extension o f the period o f study and endorses the Com m ittee’s 'recom ­m endation in this regard. An extension o f the training period for the Qualifying Exam ination m ay have to be arranged and it m ay then follow that the length o f the apprenticeship period will have to be reconsidered in the light thereof.

(b) “The training o f pharmacists should be undertaken eventually by Universities, preferably those with Medical Schools on the curriculum as outlined. Certain Universities have indicated their willingness to arrange fo r such courses provided the demand is sufficient and it is encouraging to f in d so keen a spirit o f enterprise in supplying the very best and most suitable background fo r such education. The Committee recommends that fo u r centres would be the maximum number o f institutions required fo r such training fo r many years to come."

I f the Universities are to provide courses for the Qualifying Exam ination it is essential that each one so recognised shall establish a chair o f Pharm acy and that pharm acy students shall not be tacked on to the existing faculties as adjuncts The Technical Colleges which have rendered such excellent services have D epartm ents o f Pharm acy with special lecturers and faculties and have turned ou t highly trained professional men o f the type required to meet the composite make-up o f a pharm acist as quoted in pages 26 and 27 o f the Report.

(c) "This would be in accordance with modern practice and would, in the case o f the University training, lead to a B.Sc. degree in Pharmacy, with the possi­bility o f the student taking higher degrees in phar­macy, fo r which provision should be made in the Universities.”

There is no reason why a higher qualification than the present Qualifying Exam ination D iplom a should no t be provided under the present system if candidates are forthcom ing.

(d) "A /I examinations fo r pharmacy, as is the case o f the medical and dental examinations, should be conducted by the University together with external examiners. The South African Pharmacy Board should have the right o f inspection o f all examinations conducted by the University

It is considered highly necessary and in the public interest that there should be one uniform standard o f exam ination for all persons wishing to qualify for admission to the profession. Such uniformity cannot be achieved by having internal exam inations in four different Universties. The right o f inspection by the Board would no t achieve uniformity.

(e) “There are at present well over 500 pharmacieins which apprentices are serving their three years' apprenticeship. There should therefore, be no difficulty in finding masters fo r pupilage purposes

fo r one year in pharmacies, approved hospitals and factories fo r those qualifying fro m the Universities.”

I t is no t logical to assum e th a t if the period o f a p ­prenticeship is reduced to one year the num ber o f appren­tices will be substantially increased. [(R efer also Paragraph 15 (c) above.)]

( / ) “The Committee proposes a reconstitution o f the the South African Pharmacy Board to make provision fo r six pharmacists to be elected by members o f the pro fessions: two pharmacists and one medical practitioner and one layman to be appointed to the Board by the M inister and fo r one representative fro m each University in which complete pharma­ceutical training is given. This suggested change will constitute a Board consisting o f ten members plus one representing each University school o f pharmacy.”

T he proposed re-constitution o f the Board is not a m atter which can be com m ented upon a t this stage as it will be dependent on the decision o f the M inister and legislation based on the o ther recom m endations o f the Com m ittee o f Enquiry. The B oard is a t present well equipped to deal with the educational aspect o f the p ro ­fession, the interests o f the pharm acists themselves in all branches, and the interests o f the public and the country as a whole.19. C H A PT E R V II I .— A M E N D M E N T S TO TH E M ED IC A L, D E N T A L A N D PH A R M A C Y ACT, 1928 (ACT 13 O F 1-928).

(а) “It is fe l t that the term ‘pharmacist' rather than ‘chemist and druggist,' more aptly describes a person carrying on the profession or trade o f pharmacy and, as pharmacy is regarded as a higher profession warranting University status, the terms ‘apprentice' and ‘apprenticeship' should be changed. I t is recom­mended therefore, that in the Act, unless inconsistent with the context, the words ‘pharmacist,’ 'pupil' and 'pupilage' be substituted fo r the words ‘chemist and druggist,' ‘apprentice' and ‘apprenticeship' wherever they occur.”

The B oard is opposed to the substitution o f any o ther term for the term Chem ist and Druggist as used in the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act.

(б) The Board notes with profound regret that no recom m endations are made in this C hapter to am end the M edical, D ental and Pharm acy Act, 1928, in o rder to implement the opinions expressed and suggestions m ade in C hapter V o f the Report. [(Refer Paragraph 16 (b) above.)]

(c) In view o f Paragraph 19 (b) the B oard does no t feel called upon to m ake any com m ents on the further p ro ­posals o r recom m endations m ade in this C hapter.

Jno. Christie,President,

South African Pharmacy Board.

DIE KOMMENTAAR VAN DIE SUID-AFRIK A AN SE APTEKERSRAAD OOR DIE RAPPORT VAN DIE KOMITEE VAN ONDERSOEK AANGAANDE

DIE OPLEIDING VAN APTEKERS IN SUID-AFRIKAD it is d ie K o m m e n ta a r w a t o o rh a n d ig i s a a n D ie M in i s te r v a n G e so n d h e id g e d u re n d e A u g u s tu s 1951

1. Die R apport van die Kom itee wat deur Sy Edele die M inister van Gesondheid aangestel is om ondersoek in te stel na die opleiding van aptekers het die ernstige oorweging van die Kommissie geniet by sy spesiale vergadering wat in April 1951 gehou is.2. Die Kommissie het m et leedwese kennis geneem van die besluit van die M inister om die m em oranda wat voor die Kom itee geplaas is en w aarop die gevolgtrekkings waarskynlik gebaseer is, van die Kom m issie terug te

hou. Gevoel w ord d a t ’n goeie doel bereik sou kon word as die Kommissie, soos deur hom versoek, toegelaat was om te help met die verkryging van getuienis, as hy ’n verteenw oordiger by al die sittings gehad het om vrae aan getuies te stel. Gevolglik vind die Kommissie dit besonder m oeilik om kom m entaar oor die rap p o rt te lewer sonder enige kennis van die getuienis w aarop dit gebaseer is. Die Kom m issie beweer m et alle respek dat baie van die ver- klarings wat in hoofstuk IV van die rapport voorkom ,

m isleidend is en dit wil voorkom dat hulle gebaseer is op b lykbaar eensydige en onvolledige getuienis en inligting w at m oontlik in ’n beter perspektief beoordeel kon gewees het as die Kommissie toegelaat was om die K om itee behulpsaam te wees.3. D ie Kom m issie is deur die M inister meegedeel dat hy alleenlik die rapport sal oorweeg en nie die besprekinge o f die getuienis w aarop dit gebaseer is nie. Vir die redes wat in parag raaf 2 vermeld word, beskou die Kom m issie dit as baie ongelukkig.4. V oordat daar breedvoerige kom m entaar gelewer word, voel die Kommissie dat dit voordelig sal wees as die volgende punte van sy m em orandum van 1 A ugustus 1950 aan die Kom itee van O ndersoek herhaal w ord :—

(a) Geskiedkundig het apteekwese in Suid-Afrika u it die m etodes en tradisies w at deur aptekers van oorsee gebruik is, ontwikkel.

(b) A anvanklik het hulle hoofsaaklik van G roo t- Brittanje gekom en m et hulle die Engelse stelsel as afsonderlik van die kontinentale stelsel saamgebring.

(c) Albei stelsels het dieselfde algemene vereistes, d.w.s. ’n algemene onderw ysstandaard w ord vereis voordat apteekwese opgeneem kan w ord ; vakleerlingskap ; professionele opleiding ; eksamen en kwalifikasie.

(d ) Die vernaam ste verskil tussen die twee stelsels le in die m etode w aarop ’n apteker sy beroep uitoefen, w at in die geval van die Engelse stelsel ’n oop tipe van onbeperkte praktyk is m et gelyke vryheid vir ongekwalifiseerde persone om met ’n groot ver- skeidenheid van m edisinale produkte (patente medisyne ens.) handel te dryf.

(e) D ie K ontinentale stelsel werk volgens lisensies wat deur die staat toegestaan word, wat die aan tal apteke beperk en aan die aptekers die alleenreg gee om medisinale p rodukte te verkoop.

5. Derhalwe m et die oog op voorgaande paragraw e4 (a), 4 (b), 4 (c) en m et die ondervinding w at deur die Provinsiale Aptekerskom m issies (voor 1928) en daarna onder die W et op Geneeshere, Tandartse en A ptekers opgedoen is, was die Kom m issie in staat om ’n opvoed- kundige en opleidingsbeleid in te stel wat hom op realistiese wyse kon aanpas by die ewolusie van die apteekwese, soos dit in Suid-Afrika beoefen word.6. Van tyd to t tyd in die verlede het die Kommissie kritiek oor die akademiese en praktiese apteekers opleidingsm etodes inaggeneem en het hy sy vereistes en regulasies konsekwent verbeter en gewysig om voorsiening te m aak vir verskeie veranderinge wat aangebring is om m et die vooruitgang tred te hou.

(a) Vergemakliking van toegang tot die apteekwese.(i) D ie innem ing van m eer as een vakleerling in

’n apteek.(ii) E rkenning van ’n groot aan tal onderwys-

inrigtings vir akademiese opleiding.(iii) Afskaffing van die vereiste van ’n m inim um

aan tal van 2,000 preskripsies w at per jaa r berei m oet w ord voordat ’n leerling in die apteek geregistreer kan word.

(iv) Studie en afle van voorafgaande W etenskap- like o f Interm ediere Eksam en voordat die leerlinginskap ’n aanvang neem.

(v) E rkenning van hospitaal-apteke en fabri- serende groothandel-laboratorium s, in be- perkte m ate, as plekke vir opleiding van vakleerlinge.

(b) Verbetering van praktiese opleiding gedurende vakleer­lingskap.

(i) Regulasies om die m inim um vereistes vir uitrusting, ruim te, fasiliteite ens. in apteke w aar vakleerlinge opgelei w ord, ,in te stel.

(ii) Leerplan van voorgeskrewe werk (farm a- kopiea preparate en preskripsies) w at deur vakleerlinge onder toesig van aptekersmeesters gedoen m oet w ord en periodieke inspeksies deur die Kommissie van vakleerlinge se werk.

(c) Vooruitgang van akamiese opleiding.(i) W etenskaplike vakke verpligtend gemaak vir

M atrikulasiesertifikaat van persone w at to t die apteekwes toegelaat wil word.

(ii) Afskaffing van deeltydse studie vir die Kwalifiserende Eksam en en vervanging m et verpligtende voltydse opleiding by vyf Teg- niese Kolleges en een Universiteit.

(iii) Byvoeging van nuwe vakke by leerplan vir Interm ediere Eksam en (Dierkunde) en Kwali­fiserende Eksamen (Fisiologie) en algemene verbetering, noukeurige uitwerking en m odernisering van leerplan vir albei eksamens.

7. D ie verklarings wat in paragrawe 4, 5 en 6 van hierdie aanm erkings gem aak is, het to t op datum van ontvangs van die rapport van die Kom itee van Ondersoek die grondslag gevorm van die Kom m issie se m ening dat daar nie ’n goeie saak uitgem aak is vir enige fundam entele veranderinge in sy opleidingstelsel nie en dat d aar onder die bestaande W et en Regulasies, gewysig w aar nodig, op doeltreffende wyse voorsiening kon gemaak word vir sulke veranderinge as wat deur die stadium s van vordering in die apteekwese vereis word.8. D ie R apport van die Kom itee van Ondersoek is egter van so ’n aard en bied aanbevelings aan wat so geheel en al verskillend is van die Kom m issie se stelsel, dat daar slegs afgelei kan w ord dat die Kom itee sulke gewigtige getuienis moes ontvang het dat hy geen deel van die huidige stelsel en beleid kon onderskryf nie.9. Terwyl die aard van sulke getuienis (Paragraaf 8) me aan die Kom m issie bekend is o f uit die rapport blyk nie, is dit wel duidelik dat die K om itee van Ondersoek kenms geneem het van die inbreuk w at op die apteekwese deur die mediese professie gem aak is ten opsigte van medisyne- bereiding en deur algemene handelaars in die verkoop van medisyne en artsenym iddels. (H oofstuk V van die R apport van die Kom itee van Ondersoek.)10. D ie Kommissie w aardeer die Kom itee se besef van hierdie lewensbelangrike problem e (Paragraaf 9) wat, as dit ten uitvoer gebring w ord ooreenkom stig die “ voor- stelle” wat in hoofstuk V van die R apport gem aak is, die Kommissie en ook die hele aptekersberoep in staat sou stel om sy houding teenoor voorstelle w at die mees radikale veranderinge in opleiding en opvoeding beoog, funda- m enteel te verander, en as gevolg daarvan sal die aantal aptekers en apteke w at beskikbaar is vir die opleiding van vakleerlinge, spoedig aanm erklik toeneem. Die Kommissie le egter nadruk daarop dat die K om itee van Ondersoek nie hierdie veranderinge in. sy rap p o rt aanbeveel nie.11. N a noukeurige bestudering van die rapport bied die Kom m issie die volgende kom m entaar aan wat gebaseer is op sy rype ondervinding en kennis van die afgelope 22 jaa r. D ie kom m entaar w ord eerbiedig vir die oorweging en leiding van Sy Edele die M inister ingedien.12. H O O FST U K I.— IN L E ID IN G .

(a) Hierdie hoofstuk bestaan uit feite en lok me kom ­m entaar u it nie behalwe m et betrekking to t die uittreksel w at hieronder aangehaal word.

(b) “ U Komitee het in Pretoria bymekaar gekom en getuienis aangehoor van die persone, liggame, organisasies en inrigtings aangetoon in aanhangselsI I en III ." .

D ie Kom m issie is toegang to t hierdie getuienis o f die M em oranda w aarop dit gebaseer is, geweier en kan dus nie daarop kom m entaar lewer nie.13. H O O FS T U K II.— H U ID IG E O N D E R W Y S EN O P L E ID IN G VAN A PTE K E R S IN D IE U N IE.

H ierdie hoofstuk bestaan u it feite en lok geen kom ­m entaar u it nie. . „ __14. H O O FST U K III.— H U ID IG E STAAT VAN OP­L E ID IN G IN E N G E L A N D , B E L G lE . N E D E R L A N D , A M E R IK A , SW ED E EN A N D E R LA N D E.

(a) By die bespreking van die stelsels van opleiding in K ontinentale lande, w ord daar geen m elding gemaak van die streng wetlike beheer w aaronder die apteek-

wese beoefen word in hierdie lande nie, nog van die beskerming en voordele wat daaruit voortspruit en wat hoofsaaklik bygedra het to t die ontwikkeling van die stelsel van opleiding en aptekersonderwys wat in daardie lande aangeneem is.

(b) Geen melding word gemaak van die feit, soos die R aad van die A ptekers Vereniging van G root- Brittanje onlangs verklaar het, dat ’n uiters beperkte aantal persone to t farmasie toegetree het volgens die alternatiewe stelsel van opleiding. ((i) Verkorte Leerlingskap en (ii) Kwalifikasies alleenlik na ’n universitere opleiding) wat etlike jare gelede aan­geneem is ; en oo r die algemeen het daardie persone nie to t kleinhandelapteekpraktyk toegetree nie.

15. H O O FSTU K IV.— K R IT IE K O O R D IE H U ID IG E STELSEL VAN O P L E ID IN G EN D IE H U ID IG E EN T O EK O M STIG E BEHOEFTES VAN DIE U N IE VAN S U ID -A F R IK A AA N A PTEK ER S O P L E ID IN G .

(a) “Dit was meleens duidelik dat die toetreders tot die professie gekies en bepaal word deur diegene in bevel van apteke waarin 'n vakleerling aangeneem kan word en dat die aspirant kandidaat derhalwe geen vrye keuse het, indien hy nie 'n aptekersmeester kon vind nie."

"Daar is oor die 500 aptekersbase in Suid-AJrika wat vakleerlinge oplei en hulle is die kiesers wat die kandidate wat uiteindelik die professie sal vorm , kies."

Toe die Kom itee met sy beraadslagings begin het, was daar 561 aptekers met geregistreerde vakleerlinge. Sedert die ontstaan van die Komniissie in 1929, het daar 862 aptekers geregistreer en vakleerlinge opgelei. Die 2,259 vakleerlinge wat tot op datum geregistreer is, is deur daardie 862 aptekers uitgekies volgens die aanleg en geskiktheid van die applikante, en volgens die Kommissie se mening is die keuse deur daardie persone gedoen wat die beste kon oordeel oo r die hoedanighede wat vereis w ord van ’n persoon w at die aptekersberoep wil uitoefen.

Die keuse van studente deur die erkende universiteite m oet byna geheel en al volgens akademiese bekwaamheid geskied soos in hulle m atrikulasiesertifikaat aangedui. Die aandag word gevestig op die aanhaling op bladsy 26 van die rapport oor die hoedanighede wat vereis word van goeie aptekers. Die persoon wat 'n student vir ’n toetstydperk in sy diens gehad het, behoort bes in staat te w'ees om te kan oordeel oor sy aanleg en geskiktheid vir die professie, en die rapport bied geen oplossing aan vir die K om itee se ver- klaring dat die vooruitstrewende kandidate geen vrye keuse het nie.

(b) “Aangesien meeste apteke wat in staat is om vak­leerlinge aan te neem in die groot stede is, en die tegniese kolleges wat in die verlede die deeltydse o f voltydse onderrig gegee het ook in die groot stede is, was dit moeiliker vir die plattelandse student om toegang te verkry."

O nder huidige om standighede kan plattelandse kandidate kies om opleidingskursusse vir die Interm ediere Eksamen by enige van die 16 erkende opleidingsentrum s wat op bladsy 12 van die rapport voorkom , by te woon en kan hulle die kursus voor o f na die vakleerlingskap bywoon. Die kan­didate in stedelike gebiede het dieselfde keuse m aar met die addisionele voordeel dat hulle, op die oom blik, deeltydse kursusse gedurende hulle vakleerlingskap kan bywoon. K andidate vir die Kwalifiserende Eksamen kan enige van die 7 opleidingsinrigtings bywoon na voltooiing van hulle vakleerlingskap.

O nder die voorgestelde stelsel in die rapport w ord die keuse van opleidingsinrigtings to t 4 erkende universiteite beperk en die plattelandse student sal nog daaronder moet ly dat hy van sy huis a f weg is.

U it die aantal Ieerlinge volgens die rapport wat in die stede en in die dorpe in diens geneem is, blyk dit dat die plattelandes bevolking nie genoegsaam verteenwoordig is nie. D it is misleidend. In werklikheid behartig byna al die geneeshere in die klein stede en plattelandse dele hulle

eie medisynebereiding en aptekers is genoodsaak oni na die stede te gaan om werk te verkry w aar hulle genoegsame ondervinding in medisynebereiding kan opdoen. Hoewel die syfers nie beskikbaar is nie, is die Kommissie bewus daarvan dat ’n groot persentasie van die Ieerlinge wat tans geregistreer is, van die plattelandse dele kom en die persentasie neem steeds toe.

(c) “In hierdie verband is u Komitee vasbeslote dat persone wat tot die aptekers' professie wil toetree, in staat moet wees om dit te doen na 'n voltydse periode van akademiese, wetenskaplike en praktiese studie, gevolg deur ’n periode van leerlingskap in ’n privaat apteek o f ’n hospitaal apteek o f 'n ver- vaardigende apteek wat deur die Aptekerskommissie goedgekeur is."

Op die oom blik m oet ’n kandidaat vir toelating to t die eksamens as vakleerling geregistreer wees onder kontrak wat hom die fasiliteite vir voltooiing van sy praktiese opleiding onm iddellik na die voltooiing van sy studies vir die Intermediere Eksam en waarborg. In die voorgestelde nuwe stelsel bestaan d aar geen w aarborg vir die geleentheid van praktiese opleiding nie en die posisie kan ontstaan dat persone met die nodige grade dit moeilik vind om tot goedgekeurde apteke in hospitale o f op ander plekke toegelaat te word. Dit is m oontiik dat aptekers nie begerig sal wees om studente vir een jaa r in diens te neem nie. D aar is ekonomiese en praktiese oorwegings wat volgens die m ening van die Kommissie in botsing sal kom met so ’n voorstel.

(d) “Die apteker se opleiding in hierdie land vandag laat hom in die posisie dat sy kennis van die fundamentele wetenskappe te beperk is en nie inskakel by die praktiese vereistes van die apteekwese nie."

Die Kommissie kan niks in die rapport vind om hierdie buitengewone verklaring te ondersteun nie, en weet nie op w atter getuienis dit gebaseer kan wees nie. Die leerplan van die eksamens is in 1947 opgestel deur die Kommissie in direkte raadpleging m et ’n kom itee van opvoedkundige deskundiges en lektore in alle vertakkings en is gewysig van tyd to t tyd in die lig van veranderende om standighede en vooruitgang op diegebied van geneeskunde en die apteekwese Spesiale aandag is gewy aan die korrelasie van verskillende takke soos bewys is deur die byvoeging van D ierkunde in die Interm ediere K ursus en Fisioiogie in die Kwalifiserende Kursus.

(e) "Onder die huidige sisteem van opleiding in hierdie land' begin die geregistreerde vakleerling jv opleiding in Vi kleinhandel apteek met die rfiatrikulasie- eksamen as sy opvoedkundige fondament. H y begin sonder 'n akademiese agtergrond en sy kennis is, oor die algemeen, onvoldoende om die hoo f te bied aan wat van hom verwag word. So mag 'n vakleerling sonder kennis van chemie gevra word om voor- skrifte voor te berei. n Beter begrip van sulke vakke soos chemie en farmakologie sal derhalwe nodig wees. Die Komitee kan nie anders as om 'n sisteem waar die vakleerlingskap begin word sonder 'n geskik te akademiese agtergrond te veroordee! nie.”

W aar n student "n voltydse studiekursus bywoon vir die Interm ediere Eksam en, word hy 'n deeglike grondslag van die wetenskappe gegee alvorens hy m et sy werk in die apteek begin. Sy driejarige onderwys en ondervinding in die apteek word daarna deur 'n ja a r se studie in die pro- fessionele vakke gekonsolideer en daardeur is hy beter in staat om sy studie te waardeer. W aar ’n student sy kursus gedurende sy leerlingskap bywoon, gaan sy opleiding in die kollege en in die apteek hand aan hand.

Die rap p o rt meld dat die Kom itee“kan nie anders as om 'n sisteem waar die vakleerling­skap begin word sonder 'n geskik te akademiese agtergrond te veroordeel nie."

Vakleerlinge w ord deur die W et toegelaat om medisyne te berei slegs onder die toesig van ’n goedgekeurde apteker. V oordat ’n kandidaat as ’n leerling aangeneem word, moet

hv bewys lewer dat sy m atrikulasiesertifikaat een van die wetenskaplike vakke insluit. In die praktyk vandag voltooi byna al die kandidate hulle studie vir die Intermediere Eksam en voordat hulle met die praktiese opleiding in die aDteek begin. Die wat dit nie doen me, studeer die wetenskaplike vakke gelyktydig m et hulle praktiese op-

(/') "D ie leerplan soos neergele vir die aptekerseksamen hou nie tred met die huidige ontwikkeling van die aptekers professie nie en dit ^w il voorkom oj daar ’n aansienlike agterstand is.

Die leerplan vir die Kwalifiserende Eksamen en die vir die Interm ediere Eksamen w ord gedurig deur die Kommissie hersien (sien paragraw e 5 en 6 hiervan) m raadpleging m et sy eksam inatore en ander outoriteite en met die advies van 'n bevoegde Kom itee van lektore en professore van ■ universiteite en erkende opleidings- inrigtings w aar veranderinge gemaak is, was dit nodig om rekening te hou met oorgangsperiodes.

(if) “Die getuienis wat gelewer is ten opsigte van deel- tydse studiekursusse vir die aptekerseksamens net aan die lig gebring dat sodanige kursusse, vir ekono- miese redes, voorsien was, maar die resultate wys dat dee I tvdes studie nie genoegsaam is nie. M et die oog up die fe it dat die tydperk van studie soveel longer is vir deeltydse kursusse, is dit twyfelagtig oj daar finansieel enige voordeel was. , ,

“Die Komitee is derhalwe oortuig dat die tyd aangebreek het vir ’n skema van voltydse studie en opleiding om die plek van die huidige sisteem in te neem."

D it is deur die Kommissie aanvaar dat deeltydse stuaie- kursusse onbevredigend is en hy het alreeds sulke kursusse vir die kwalifiserende eksamen afgeskaf. Die voorneme het al geruime tyd bestaan om deeltydse studie vir die Interm ediere Eksamen op die geskikte tyd, at te skat.

(It) “Soos voorheen in die rapport gese, toon n studie van die opleiding vir aptekers in sowat 25 lande, soos dit vandag bestaan, ~n bepaalde neigmg in die rigting van 'n longer studie tydperk in die universiteit oj kollege wat strek tot v y f o f ses jaar, met ooreen- stemmende vermindering van die duur van vakleer- lingskap. Sodanige studies kan vergelvk word met die wat bestee word aan voorgraadse studies in verwante professies."

Die Kommissie is oortuig dat daar nergens n neiging n a verlenging van die tydperk v a n akademiese opleiding en verm indering van praktiese opleiding bestaan me met die uitsondering miskien van die Veren.gde K onink.yk w aar die verandering onlangs ongunstige verslae uitgelok

het’( /) “Dit wil voorkom dat die gevolg van die tekort- komings van die huidige skema van opleiding weer- spieel word by 'n ondersoek van die jongste syjers betreffende persone wat met die Suid-AJrikaanse Aptekerskommissie geregistreer is, wat toon dat daar 561 vakleerlinge geregistreer is en 6 3 4 onge- registreerde assistente, wat persone is wat hulle cine jaar vakleerlingskap voltooi het, maar nie in die eksamens geslaag het nie. .

Die Kom itee se verwysing na 634 ongeregistreerde assistente is misleidend. D aardie getal sluit al die leerhnge in wat sedert 1929 hulle leerlingskap voltooi het en me as aptekers geregistreer is nie. Dit wil nie se dat hulle vandag in apteke in diens is nie, m aar hulle was me in staat om in die Kwalifiserende Eksamen te slaag me. In Desember 1950 het rneer as 100 van hulle die eksam en vir die eerste keer geskryf. Sowat honderd het nog nie eers begin met hulle studiekursus vir die eksamen nie. Slegs sewentig van hulle het in Desem ber 1950 hereksam en gedoen en vyftig moet net een vak skryf. 'n G ro o t aantal het ander beroepe gekies. Sommige is oorlede, ander het die land verlaat en ■n aantal het hulle studie laat vaar om in die huwelik te tree. Pogings is aangewend om soveel van hierdie onge- registreerde assistente as m oontlik op te spoor en slegs

is gevind wat nog in apteke, hospitale ot tabriserende laboratorium s werksaam is.

(k) „Die Komitee het oorweging geskenk aan die tae persentasie geslaagde kandidate wat vir die kwali­fiserende eksamen vir aptekers in skry f en die syfers vir tien eksamens word aangehaal:—Desember 1944 Junie 1945 Desember 1945

30% 43.3% 4 L 8 %Junie 1946 Desember 1946 Junie 1947

27 7% 54% 44.6%Desember 1947 Junie 1948 Desember 1948

34.2% 38.2% 17.3%Junie 1950

32%Die syfers vir Desember 1948 was waarskynlik

die laagsie was ooit aangeteken is, maar dit het aansienlike verbetering getoon soos gesien kan word van die svfer vir Junie 1950. Chemie is verantwoordelik vir die grootste getal druipings in die eksamen.

„Daar is tot die slotsom geraak dat die lae aantal geslaagdes moontlik, onder andere, toegeskryf kan word aan die fe it dat wat van die student vereis was, soos in die leerplan uiteengesit, nie voldoende gedek kon word gedurende die tyd wat toegelaat word nie en aan sekere ongeskiktheid van die studente.

Die syfers oor die uitslae van die Kwalifiserende Eksamen wat in die rapport aangehaal is, word gebruik as ’n argum ent ten gunste van ’n hersiemng van de stelsel van opleiding. Hiermee kan die Kommissie me saamsten

1116 Die uitslae is nie slegter as die van die Verenigde Konink- ryk of van ander beroepe in die Unie nie. D aar is beskikbare bewyse dat die uitslae in ander professionele eksamens slegter is en in sommige beroepe moet die swakker kan- didate die universiteite o f ander opleidingsinrigtings verlaat voordat hulle die finale jaa r bereik.

Die Kommissie is oortu ig dat daar in Hoofstuk IV geen werklike saak vir fundam entele en radikale veranderinge in die huidige stelsel van opleiding is nie, en hy wil die opm erkings in paragrawe 8 en 11 van sy kom m entaar

?6.nUUH O O FSTU K V .-1 N B R E U K O P D IE A PTEK ER S'BEROEP. , , , , , , . , / i

(a) Dit is duidelik dat in hierdie land slegs n heljte van die aptekers die geleentheid het om hulle regmatige funksie van toebereiding van medisyne wat deur die mediese, tandheelkundige en veeartsenykundige pro­fessies voorgeskryf word, te beoefen, weens die fe it dat die oorgrote meerderheid van mediese praktisvns in landelike gebiede hulle eie toebereiding doen. Aptekers word spesiaal vir hierdie doel opgelei."

Die Kommissie beskik oor geen gegewens oor die aantal aptekers in die kleinhandelpraktyk wat me die geleentheid het om hulle regmatige professionele werk volgens A itikel 37 van die W et op Geneeshere, Tandartse en Apte<ers uit te voer nie Die Kommissie en die Aptekers Veremging van S.A. het herhaaldelik die erns van hierdie probleem , veral in plattelandse gebiede beklemtoon.

(b) Die Komitee is van mening dat stappe gedoen moet word om die regte van toebereiding van mediese en tandheelkundige praktisvns en veeartse te beperk slot die verskaffinf van medisyne slegs in n geval van nood en tot daardie gebiede waar daar geen apteker binne 'n afstand van twee my! beskikbaar is me. Verder moet dit oorweeg word o f die lisensies van algemene handelaars nie soortgelyk beperk moet word nie betreffende die hou van voorrade en verkoop van medisyne, wanneer 'n apteker beskikbaar is. Indien dit egter gedoen word, en daar is getuienis dat daar geen beswaar sal wees nie, moet die apteker ook beperk word tot die verskaffing slegs van items wat by medisvne tuishoort, voorkomend en helend, oj wat beskou word as gedek deur sy aptekerslisensie.”

Die Kommissie m erk dat die menings wat hierbo uitgespreek word, nie in die aanbevelm gs wat deur die

Collection Number: AD1715

SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR), 1892-1974

PUBLISHER: Collection Funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation

Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive

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