World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

PHARMACEUTICAL CARE IS AN EVOLUTIONARY AND REVOLUTIONARY WAY OF PRACTISING PHARMACY

Janak Acharya, Motilal Asnani, Amrut Dave, Pratik Gandhi, Anand Gangwal, Paresh Jivrani, Kishan Kadia, Nipul Kapadia, Atul Khatri, Prof. Dr. Dhrubo Jyoti Sen* and Prof. Dr. C. N. Patel

ABSTRACT

Pharmacists, also known as chemists (Commonwealth English) or druggists (North American and archaically, Commonwealth English), are healthcare professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use. A pharmacist is a member of the health care team directly involved with patient care. Pharmacists undergo university-level education to understand the biochemical mechanisms and actions of drugs, drug uses, therapeutic roles, side effects, potential drug interactions and monitoring parameters. This is mated to anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. Pharmacists interpret and communicate this specialized knowledge to patients, physicians and other health care providers. Among other licensing requirements, different countries require pharmacists to hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.), Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.), or Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. The most common pharmacist positions are that of a community pharmacist (also referred to as a retail pharmacist, first-line pharmacist or dispensing chemist), or a hospital pharmacist, where they instruct and counsel on the proper use and adverse effects of medically prescribed drugs and medicines. In most countries, the profession is subject to professional regulation. Depending on the legal scope of practice, pharmacists may contribute to prescribing (also referred to as "pharmacist prescriber") and administering certain medications (e.g., immunizations) in some jurisdictions. Pharmacists may also practice in a variety of other settings, including industry, wholesaling, research, academia, military and government.

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