Every year on September 25th, pharmacists around the globe celebrate World Pharmacist Day. This day focuses on the role pharmacists play in improving health on a global scale.
When it comes to pharmacists, you probably think of the person behind the counter that fills your prescription. These pharmacists work long hours, usually standing the entire time. Along with dispensing pills and providing advice on medications, pharmacists also administer immunizations. Pharmacists who conduct research discover and test new medications.
No matter what capacity pharmacists work in, they are considered medicine experts. These experts have considerable responsibility in health care. It’s up to them to ensure that medicine is effective and safe. Besides knowing about each type of medication, they must know about the different forms it comes in. There are liquids, tablets, capsules, topical medicines, drops, inhalers, and injections. They must also know how different medications react with one another. No wonder it takes eight years of college to become a pharmacist!
Here are some other interesting facts about pharmacists:
- Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Ginger Ale were all invented by pharmacists
- Famous pharmacists include Benjamin Franklin and Hubert Humphrey
- Alexander Fleming changed the world with his discovery of penicillin in 1928
- The most well-known pharmacist in the world is Dr. Joseph DiPiro who wrote the pharmacy textbook, Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach
HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldPharmacistDay
The pharmaceutical industry holds a variety of educational activities for World Pharmacy Day. These include lectures, exhibitions, and activities that demonstrate how pharmacies help adults and children.
If you want to observe World Pharmacist Day, thank your local pharmacist for all the work they do. You can share this day on social media with #WorldPharmacistDay.
WORLD PHARMACIST DAY HISTORY
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) established World Pharmacist Day in 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. They chose September 25th because on this day in 1912 the FIP was founded. Each year there is a theme announced for World Pharmacist Day. Those in the industry promote the themes world wide. These themes help pharmacists put together national campaigns that showcase their work.
Past themes have included:
2019: Safe and effective medicines for all
2017: From research to healthcare: your pharmacist is at your service
2015: Pharmacists: your partners in health
2014: Access to pharmacists is access to health
Article by: WORLD PHARMACIST DAY – September 25 – National Day Calendar
Image by: ComputAssist Group