Pharmacy

By Dexter Nuique
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
Definition of Pharmacy
- defined as that profession which is concerned with the art and
•

science of preparing from natural and synthetic sources suitable and

convenient materials for distribution and use in the treatment and
prevention of disease.
It embraces the knowledge of the identification, selection,
•

pharmacologicaction, preservation, combination, analysis and

standardization of drugs and medicines.
It also includes their proper and safe distribution and use whether
•

dispensed on the prescription of a licensed physician, dentist or

veterinarian, or in those instances where it may legally be done,
dispensed or sold directly to the consumer.
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
Word Pharmacy is derived from the Greek word “pharmakon”
•

meaning medicine or drug.

A Pharmacist is the person of drugs, or the expert on drugs. He is in

•

that unique position of embracing complete drug expertise. They are

the primary health professionals who optimize medication use to
provide patients with positive health outcomes
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
The scope of pharmacy practice includes

more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing
medications

more modern services related to health care, including clinical
services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing
drug information.
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
•
Professionals who prescribe drugs and be primarily interested in the
effect of those drugs on the patient, their therapeutic value and
toxicology:

Physicians

Dentists

Veterinarians
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
•
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with
the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and
effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.
Unit 1 – Scope of Pharmacy
Symbolic meaning of the bowl of hygieia
The symbol bowl of hygieia depict the Greek goddess Hygieia
Holding a patera (medicine bowl) with a snake tamely coiling
around the bowl.
Some view the bowl of hygieia and her snake as a symbol of living in
harmony with mother earth. The snake may symbolize the patient and
that he or she chooses whether or not to partake of the medicine to
help himself or herself.
The snake that is about to partake from the bowl is also linked to
ancient beliefs that snakes have wisdom and healing.
History of Pharmacy
•
Sumerian – the earliest formulary known in man’s recorded history.
•
Eber Papyrus – Egyptian manuscript pertaining to pharmacy and
therapy.
•
Hippocrates – famous Greek physician.
•
Dioscorides – wrote an important book on materiamedica.
•
Theophrastus – the father of botany.
•
Galen – roman physician who experimented with compounded drugs
•
Cosmas and Damian – became patron saints of pharmacy and
medicine
History of Pharmacy
•
1178 – Mention of Pharmacists in French records
•
1179 – Guild of Pepperers in London
•
1225 – Apothecary shop established at Cologne
•
1499 – Guild Pharmacopoeia published in Florence, Italy
•
1589 – Gallileo demonstrated the law of falling bodies
History of Pharmacy
History of Pharmacy
History of Pharmacy
History of Pharmacy
Unit 1 – History of Pharmacy
•
Pharmaceutical forms adopted by the early cuarenderos or quack
doctors were confined to:
•
Macerations in cold and hot water
•
Infusions or decoctions in oild of the curative plant parts
•
Poultices and some powders
•
Resinous plasters and salves with a waxy base
•
Inhalations and fumigations and a few empyreumatic products
Unit 1 – The Evolution of Pharmacy
•
Pre-historic time
•
-Concepts of outside force (faith healers) in the form of remedies has
been a practice in the pre historic time.
•
Theophrastus - the father of Botany prepared their own medicines
and left prescription behind their family members for compounding
and administration.
Renaissance / Beginning of the Modern
Period
•
First printing press was developed and started the information of
pharmacy, commerce based on money was established.
•
Paraceisus advocate on drug preparation from crude plant and
mineral substances. He is the father of toxicology as he claims that all
things are poison and nothing is without poison.
•
Quinine drug was discovered and advocating chemical medicines to
displaced the therapeutic agreement of Galenism.
Transition of Modern Profession
•
5% of pharmacy practitioner had finished formal schooling requiring
examination and registration.
•
Schools affiliated with local pharmaceutical organizations provided
students with excellent practical education combining formal
education with apprenticeship.
•
Rx compounding is the professional identity of pharmacist giving birth
to National Association of Retail Druggist in 1898.
Pharmacy Practice Today – Clinical
Pharmacy
•
What do clinical pharmacist do?
-
Assess the status of the patient’s health problems and determine
whether the prescribed medications are optimally meeting the
patient’s needs and goals of care.
-
Evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the patient’s
medications.
-
Recognize untreated health problems that could be improved or
resolved with appropriate medication therapy.
Pharmacy Practice Today – Clinical
Pharmacy
•
Follow the patient’s progress to determine the effects of the patient’s
medications on his or her health.
•
Consult with the patient’s physicians and other health care providers
in selecting the medication therapy that best meets the patient’s
needs and contributes effectively to the overall therapy goals.
•
Advise the patient on how to best talks his or her medications.
Opportunities of Pharmacy
•
Community Pharmacy and Consultant Pharmacists
•
Hospitals and Other Institutional Settings
•
The Pharmaceutical Industry
•
Academic Pharmacy
•
Other Fields in Pharmacy (Pharmacists uses their basic educational
backgrounds in a host of federal, state, and professional positions)
The seven-star pharmacist
Role of the Pharmacist
- future pharmacist must possess specific knowledge attitudes, skills,
•

and behaviours in support of their roles

Seven-star Pharmacist
1. Care-giver – the pharmaceutical provides caring services
The seven-star pharmacist
•
2. Decision-maker – incorporation of shared decision making into
patient information about medicines is essential, the appropriate,
afficacious and cost effective use of resources (e.g. personnel,
medicines, chemicals, equipment)
•
3. Communicator – the pharmacist is in an ideal position between
physician and patient
The seven-star pharmacist
•
4. Leader – whether the pharmacist finds him/herself in
multidisciplinary (e.g. team) caring situations or in areas where other
heath care providers are in short supply or non existent. Involves
compassion and empathy as well as the ability to make decisions,
communicate and manage effectively.
The seven-star pharmacist
•
5. Manager – the pharmacist must effectively manage resources
(human, physical and fiscal) and information, he or she must also be
comfortable being managed by others, whether an employer or the
manager/leader of a health care team.
The seven-star pharmacist
•
6. Life-long-learner – it is no longer possible to learn all one must
learn in school in order to practice a career as a pharmacist
•
7. Teacher – the pharmacist has a responsibility to assist with the
education and training of future generations of pharmacists.