The federal government has gazetted the new pharmacy law and empowered the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) to regulate all stakeholders in the pharmacy distribution chain.

Chairman of the governing council of the organisation, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora, stated this yesterday during the presentation of the gazetted PCN (Establishment) Act 2022 in Abuja.

He said the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Bill was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in August and had empowered the registrar to revoke licenses and regulate all stakeholders involved in the pharmacy distribution chain such as pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, patent medicine vendors, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers among others.

While thanking the president and all persons who made the passage of the bill into law possible, he said fines for offences in the old act ranged from N250- N1,000 but had been increased to between N250,000 and N2,000,000 in the new act.

"The fines are meant to act as a deterrent for people not to fall short of the minimum standard expected from them. The council is a regulatory agency. We are not a profit-making organisation and we are corrective, not punitive. We are dealing with drugs, which makes the difference between life and death. That is why we must be regulated.

He said the Federal High Court under the new law had the jurisdiction to hear and determine criminal and civil matters.