LAST week, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) issued warnings to three pharmacy businesses found operating without a registered pharmacist present on the premises, which it said was in direct breach of the conditions of their pharmacy business authorisations.
The presence of a registered pharmacist is a fundamental requirement for the lawful operation of a pharmacy and is essential to ensuring consumer safety and the provision of professional pharmaceutical services.
The warnings followed FCCC’s nationwide pharmacy audit for the 2025–26 financial year, during which 70 pharmacies were inspected’ and three pharmacies were found to be without a registered pharmacist present during opening hours, violating Condition 2 of the Pharmacy Business Authorisation, which requires a registered pharmacist to be at the premises at all times during opening hours.
The FCCC has issued formal warning letters to the three pharmacy businesses.
It stated that breaches of Pharmacy Business Authorisation conditions are taken seriously and may result in further regulatory action, including revocation of the authorisation pursuant to section 45(3B) of the Pharmacy Profession Act 2011.
While further questions have been sent to the FCCC, which it still has yet to respond to, this newspaper spoke to Fiji Pharmaceutical Society president Priyanka Prasad for their response on these audit findings.
FT: What is the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society’s official position on the three pharmacies operating without a registered pharmacist present?
Prasad: The Fiji Pharmaceutical Society supports full compliance with the Pharmacy Profession Act and all applicable regulations. Pharmacists are trained to review prescriptions for clinical appropriateness and ensuring medicines are dispensed safely with proper counselling. Every pharmacy should ensure a registered pharmacist is present during operating hours, as required by law.
FT: Are those three identified entities members of the Society?
Prasad: The Society does not publicly disclose the membership status of individual members or businesses. Membership is separate from regulatory compliance, and regulatory matters remain the responsibility of the relevant authorities.
FT: Will the Society take internal disciplinary action against them, independent of FCCC’s regulatory warnings? Or what action will the Society take in response?
Prasad: The Fiji Pharmaceutical Society is a professional association, not the statutory regulator. Investigation and enforcement powers rest with the appropriate regulatory authorities. Where appropriate, the Society’s role is to promote professional standards, provide education and support members to maintain compliance.
FT: Is there a shortage of registered pharmacists in the country making it difficult to maintain 100 per cent coverage during operating hours? What is the status of the availability of pharmacists in Fiji?
Prasad: If there were genuinely an insufficient number of registered pharmacists available, this should be considered when licensing new pharmacy businesses. It would be unreasonable to expand the number of licensed pharmacies beyond the capacity of the available pharmacy workforce while still expecting existing legal requirements for pharmacist supervision to be met. Any workforce shortages should not be viewed as justification for compromising patient safety or legal compliance.
FT: Is brain drain or migration an issue the pharmaceutical sector is grappling with? And is that contributing to this compliance issue?
Prasad: Migration is a common factor affecting all professional sectors across the country – not just pharmacy. It cannot be denied that pharmacists too are leaving the country for better pay and job satisfaction. Alongside population growth, increasing healthcare demand and distribution of pharmacists between urban and rural areas, sustainability of services requires collaboration between the government, regulatory bodies and employers. However, the law is clear on carrying on a pharmacy business. All pharmacy businesses must have a registered pharmacist on the premises during operational hours.
FT: How great is the actual risk to a Fijian consumer when buying prescription medicine from a pharmacy with no pharmacist on site?
Prasad: While prescription processing may seem like a simple and straightforward task, the complexity of it often goes unnoticed and encompasses identifying prescription errors, screening for medicine interactions, assessing allergies, providing counselling and ensuring medicines are used safely. Registered pharmacists are trained to provide important clinical safety checks and act as the last line of defence before medicines reach the public. They play a critical role in ensuring the medicines are safe, fit for the purpose and clinically appropriate for the patient for whom they are prescribed. The absence of a pharmacist increases the risk that prescribing or dispensing errors may go undetected. While other pharmacy personnel may be experienced and dedicated, they are not a substitute for a registered pharmacist.
FT: What advice does the Society offer to members of the public on how to verify if a registered pharmacist is physically present before buying medicine?
Prasad: We encourage patients to ask whether a registered pharmacist is on duty. Patients are entitled to ask for and check for pharmacist’s Annual Practising License which by law should be displayed publicly. Patients should feel comfortable requesting to speak with the pharmacist if they have questions about their medicines, side effects, interactions or ongoing treatment.
FT: Does this incident tarnish the reputation of the profession- given that 95 per cent of audited pharmacies are fully compliant?
Prasad: It is always disappointing when instances of non-compliance are identified, as they have the potential to undermine public confidence in the profession. However, the Society views effective monitoring and enforcement as essential components of a strong regulatory system. We fully support identifying non-compliance and taking appropriate corrective action to ensure patient safety remains the priority.
The Society also hopes this discussion raises public awareness of the important role registered pharmacists play in ensuring the safe and appropriate use of medicines. Patients should feel empowered to ask whether a registered pharmacist is on duty and to seek professional advice from a qualified practitioner. This helps safeguard the public from receiving advice from unqualified individuals while reinforcing every patient’s right to receive the professional care they expect when visiting a pharmacy.
While the current discussion relates to community pharmacy practice, the Society remains hopeful that efforts to strengthen pharmacist presence and oversight will extend across the public health sector as well, where improving access to pharmacist-led services remains an important patient safety objective.
FT: What measures is the Society implementing to help its members achieve 100 per cent compliance in future audits?
Prasad: The Society will continue supporting pharmacists through continuing professional development, educational resources, professional advocacy, and engagement with regulators and stakeholders. We remain committed to promoting good pharmacy practice and supporting initiatives that strengthen compliance and patient safety.
FT: For background, how many pharmacies and pharmacists are there in Fiji; and how many are members of the Society?
Prasad: The Society roughly has about 105 members comprising registered pharmacists, intern pharmacists and students. The number of pharmacies and pharmacists in Fiji may be obtained from the respective registers maintained by the FCCC and the Pharmacy Profession Board, respectively.
