The Importance of Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure safe, effective and affordable use of medicines. It is a multidisciplinary field that links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences.
The profession of pharmacy has evolved and expanded in recent years. The pharmacy curriculum includes advanced training in the physical and biological sciences, such as physics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, pharmacology, and physiology. It also includes courses in the business of pharmacy, including merchandising and accounting techniques.
Pharmacists are health care professionals who work closely with physicians to help ensure that patients receive the correct and best medications. They are extremely accessible and often spend much of their time on their feet, consulting with both patients and physicians. Their specialized knowledge and skills allow them to make vital contributions to the treatment of patients with complex medication regimens.
Some pharmacies (in Europe, for example) have been in operation for centuries; the oldest is probably the Lowen-Apotheke in Trier, which opened in 1241. Modern pharmacies have sophisticated equipment for compounding and dispensing drugs, as well as extensive storage and distribution capabilities. They are staffed by professional pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work together to provide a wide range of services.
Most people are familiar with the role of pharmacy in society and have visited a pharmacy at one point or another. A pharmacy is a store that sells pharmaceuticals, including medicine, vaccines and other medical supplies. Pharmacists are trained to prepare and dispense prescriptions, provide drug therapy management, offer patient counseling, and educate patients about their medications. They are a valuable part of the healthcare team, and can be found in many settings, including hospitals, clinics, and retail stores.
In addition to selling medicines, pharmacies can perform some simple healthcare procedures like taking blood pressure and testing cholesterol levels. They can also help patients safely select over-the-counter medications, herbal products, and dietary supplements. Pharmacists can also dispose of unused or unwanted medicines in a safe way so they do not fall into the wrong hands.
Pharmacists are also involved in the research and development of new drugs. They study the structure of drugs and their reactions with the body’s enzymes, and they design medications to treat diseases or prevent them from occurring in the first place. For this reason, they need to have a good understanding of genetics and molecular biology. They are also increasingly involved in a new area of research called pharmacogenomics, which studies how genes affect the individual’s response to drugs. This will enable doctors to select the most suitable drug for a particular person, and perhaps treat conditions sooner or even prevent them altogether with individually-tailored medications. This is a very exciting and rapidly developing area of research. It is likely to revolutionize the treatment of diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. It will also have a major impact on the use of antibiotics.
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure safe, effective and affordable use of medicines. It is a multidisciplinary field that links health sciences with pharmaceutical sciences and natural sciences. The profession of pharmacy has evolved and expanded in recent years. The pharmacy curriculum includes advanced training in the physical and biological sciences, such as physics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, pharmacology, and physiology. It also includes courses in the business of pharmacy, including merchandising and accounting techniques. Pharmacists are health care professionals who work closely with physicians to help ensure that patients receive the correct and best medications. They are extremely accessible and often spend much of their time on their feet, consulting with both patients and physicians. Their specialized knowledge and skills allow them to make vital contributions to the treatment of patients with complex medication regimens. Some pharmacies (in Europe, for example) have been in operation for centuries; the oldest is probably the Lowen-Apotheke in Trier, which opened in 1241. Modern pharmacies have sophisticated equipment for compounding and dispensing drugs, as well as extensive storage and distribution capabilities. They are staffed by professional pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work together to provide a wide range of services. Most people are familiar with the role of pharmacy in society and have visited a pharmacy at one point or another. A pharmacy is a store that sells pharmaceuticals, including medicine, vaccines and other medical supplies. Pharmacists are trained to prepare and dispense prescriptions, provide drug therapy management, offer patient counseling, and educate patients about their medications. They are a valuable part of the healthcare team, and can be found in many settings, including hospitals, clinics, and retail stores. In addition to selling medicines, pharmacies can perform some simple healthcare procedures like taking blood pressure and testing cholesterol levels. They can also help patients safely select over-the-counter medications, herbal products, and dietary supplements. Pharmacists can also dispose of unused or unwanted medicines in a safe way so they do not fall into the wrong hands. Pharmacists are also involved in the research and development of new drugs. They study the structure of drugs and their reactions with the body’s enzymes, and they design medications to treat diseases or prevent them from occurring in the first place. For this reason, they need to have a good understanding of genetics and molecular biology. They are also increasingly involved in a new area of research called pharmacogenomics, which studies how genes affect the individual’s response to drugs. This will enable doctors to select the most suitable drug for a particular person, and perhaps treat conditions sooner or even prevent them altogether with individually-tailored medications. This is a very exciting and rapidly developing area of research. It is likely to revolutionize the treatment of diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. It will also have a major impact on the use of antibiotics.