Perspective in Pharmacy

Pharmacy Defined

Defined as the "Profession which is concerned with the art and science of preparing drugs either from natural or synthetic sources in a suitable and convenient dosage form for administration, treatment, and prevention of diseases both of man and animals."

  • pharmakon = medicine/drug

Evolution of Pharmacist's Role

  • Traditional Era (1900–1930): Formulation & dispensing from natural sources

  • Scientific Era (1930–1960): Development of new drugs & scientific testing

  • Clinical Era (1960–1990)

  • Pharmaceutical Care Era (Current Era)

Modern Times vs. Historically

  • Historically: Role of Pharmacist as healthcare practitioner is to distribute drugs that have been prescribed by a prescriber to patients.

  • Modern Times:

  • Advises patients and healthcare providers on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications.

  • Acts as a learned intermediary between a prescriber and a patient.

  • Monitors the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication.

  • In many jurisdictions, Pharmacists have prescriptive authority or work in collaboration with a primary care physician through an agreed-upon protocol.

Roles of Pharmacists

  • Clinical Medication Management

  • Assessment of patients with diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions

  • Specialized monitoring of disease states

  • Reviewing medication regimens

  • Monitoring of treatment regimens

  • Compounding medicines

  • General health advice and monitoring

  • Providing specific education to patients about disease states and medications

  • Oversight of dispensing medicines on prescription

  • Provision of non-prescription medicines

  • Counseling and advice on optimal use of medicines

  • Advice and treatment of common ailments

  • Referral to other health professionals if necessary

  • Dosing drugs in renal and hepatic failure

  • Pharmacokinetic evaluation

  • Educating physicians and other healthcare providers on medications and their proper use

  • Limited prescribing of medications only in collaboration with other healthcare professionals

  • Providing pharmaceutical information

  • Promoting public health by administering immunizations

History & Milestones of Pharmacy

  • Ancient Babylonia:

  • Asipu: Magic Healer

  • Asu: Empirical Healer

  • Second Millennium B.C. (Babylon, 2600 BC): Clay Tablets

  • Ancient Greece:

  • Hippocrates: Father of Medicine

  • Rhizotomoi: Herbalists / root gatherers

  • Diocles of Carystus (4th century BC)

  • Pedanios Dioscorides: Author of De Materia Medica

  • Symbols: The Caduceus, Rod of Asclepius, Bowl of Hygeia

  • Ancient China:

  • Shen Nung: Father of Chinese Medicine

  • Pen T'sao: Recorded 365 herbal drugs

  • Ancient Egypt:

  • Papyrus Ebers: Ancient pharmaceutical record containing 800 prescriptions and 700 drugs

  • Ancient India:

  • Acharya Charaka: Father of Indian Medicine (Charaka Samhita)

  • Baghdad: 1st privately owned drug stores / First Apothecary Shops

  • Separation of Pharmacy and Medicine (13th Century):

  • Official edicts of 1231 authored by Emperor Frederick II of Germany ("Magna Carta of Pharmacy")

  • First Official Pharmacopoeia:

  • Novo Receptario (1498) – Italian city-states

  • Society of Apothecaries in London:


  • Francis Bacon

  • "Master, Wardens and Society of the Art and Mystery of the Apothecaries of the City of London"

  • Elizabeth Marshall: Marshall Apothecary ("The Fighting Quaker")

  • Carl Wilhelm Scheele:

  • Greatest of the Pharmacists-Chemists

  • "Father of Modern Plant Chemistry"

  • Discovered/isolated oxygen, chlorine, tartaric acid, tungsten

  • Andrew Craigie:

  • America's First Apothecary General

  • First man to hold the rank of a commissioned pharmaceutical officer in an American Army

  • American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA):

  • Daniel B. Smith: 1st President

  • William Procter Jr.: 1st Secretary / "Father of American Pharmacy"