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When the word “pharmacist” is mentioned, the usual image that comes to mind is that of a smiling person behind a counter at your community pharmacy, with a large shelf full of medications in the background.
But is that all there is to it? Is that all that the job of a pharmacist entails?
The International Pharmaceutical Federation designated September 25 as World Pharmacist Day, to promote and defend the critical role that pharmacists play in improving health in every corner of the world.
Unbeknownst to many, the life of a pharmacist has many facets.
Pharmacists can be found at various levels of a country’s health system, even working alongside doctors and other health professionals in a hospital setting.
In a typical hospital, there will be pharmacists in charge of dispensing the medications, ensuring that the correct medications and dosage are provided, as well as the proper explanation and counseling, to each and every patient.
They also ensure that stocks and inventory of hospital medicines are sufficient to meet the needs of patients while balancing and managing the allocated budget.
Some of these pharmacists also facilitate rounds in the wards, ensuring that the optimal dose and choice of medication is delivered to patients who remain in the hospital.
I myself have worked closely with excellent pharmacists who were instrumental in advising my diabetic patients on the optimal use of their medications.
There is also a pharmacists division that is responsible for reconstituting cytotoxic (cell-killing) drugs for cancer patients, which involves customizing chemotherapy regimens for each patient and handling dangerous drugs, and preparing total parenteral nutrition for patients who do not they can eat.
Others are responsible for monitoring certain therapeutic drugs to ensure that they reach desirable and safe levels in patients who require them.
Additionally, some pharmacists are tasked with addressing the inquiries of other healthcare professionals regarding medications.
Like physicians, many hospital pharmacists have to perform on-call duties and night shifts to ensure continuity of care and service to patients.
Ensuring a sufficient stock within the budget provided is another important duty of a pharmacist.
Outside of the hospital setting, a key role for pharmacists is to ensure that medicines available in the country are of acceptable quality, safety, and efficacy.
Some of these pharmacists are based in the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency and some in pharmaceutical companies.
Whenever a new drug is registered, they make sure all documentation is in order.
After registration and during the marketing of the drug, they must continuously monitor the efficacy and safety of the drugs.
Some pharmacists are also involved in the formulation and implementation of health policies, health financing, and health economics analysis.
Another group of pharmacists is responsible for enforcing drug-related policies and regulations, ensuring that companies comply with relevant laws and guidelines.
Pharmacists are also involved in clinical research, creating new drugs and vaccines.
And not forgetting academics, who are vital to training and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals, be they doctors, pharmacists, nurses or other allied healthcare professionals, to meet the growing needs of society.
This list of pharmacists’ roles is not exhaustive and there are many important roles they are playing that I cannot cover in this article.
As a physician who has worked alongside pharmacists since the beginning of my career (and happily married to one), I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all of your efforts, which may sometimes seem to go unnoticed, but are definitely meaningful and appreciated.
Happy World Pharmacist Day!
Dr. Chooi Kheng Chiew is a consulting endocrinologist. For more information, send an email to [email protected]. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. The star does not make any guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other guarantees regarding the content that appears in this column. The star disclaims all liability for loss, property damage, or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly by relying on such information.
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