This document discusses the need for awareness of the medico-educational role of pharmacists in Indian society. It outlines that pharmacists are healthcare professionals who practice pharmacy science and participate in disease management and drug therapy optimization. Pharmacists play a key role in ensuring access to medicines, health education, and monitoring drug safety. They are often the first point of contact for patients and play large roles in medication management, health advice, and referring patients to doctors. The role of pharmacists has evolved from traditional dispensing to integrated patient care and education of other providers to optimize appropriate medication use.

1. NEED OF AWARENESS OF
MEDICO-EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF
PHARMACIST IN INDIAN SOCIETY
PROJECT
SYNOPSIS
GUIDED BY: SUBMITTED BY
PROF. (DR.) VIPIN KUKKAR VIJAY SINGH
DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL Batch-2007-08
SETH G. L. BIHANI S.D COLLEGE Session-2010-11
OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION B.Pharm. IV Year
(IPSDR)
SRI GANGANAGAR
SETH G. L. BIHANI S.D COLLEGE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION
(INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES & DRUG RESEARCH)
SRI GANGANAGR - 335001 (RAJ.)
2010-2011

2. NEED OF AWARENESS OF MEDICO-EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF
PHARMACIST IN SOCIETY
INTRODUCTION :
Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the science of pharmacy. Pharmacists
also participate in disease-state management, where they optimize and monitor the drug
therapy or interpret medical laboratory results / in collaboration with physicians and/or
other health professionals. Advances into prescribing medication and in providing
members of the public with health advice and services are occurring in many countries.
Pharmacists have many areas of expertise and are a critical source of medical knowledge
in clinics, hospitals, medical laboratories and community pharmacies throughout the
world. Pharmacists also hold positions in the pharmaceutical industry as well as in
pharmaceutical education and, research and development institutions.
OVERVIEW :
Pharmacists in the Society:
The pharmacy professional has ability to create decorum in the present day society. There
are numerous reasons, which are responsible for greater impact and penetration of
pharmacists into the societal network, irrespective of the geographical boundaries.
Whether it is a metro city or a remotely located rural area, pharmacists are everywhere
discharging their duties to serve the humanity.
Pharmacists as members of the healthcare team could play a key role in ensuring
affordable access to quality essential medicines, dissemination of appropriate information
to patients, general public and other health professionals participating in health promotion
and health education programmes like nutrition counseling, welfare of women, sexually
transmitted diseases - HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking cessation, rational use
of medicines, drug utilization, post-marketing surveillance towards monitoring and
reporting of adverse drug reactions (pharmacovigilance) and pharmaceutical care. The
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India can use the pharmacists as
work force in meeting the targets under these programmes.

3. Pharmacists are often the first point-of-contact for patients with health inquiries. This
means that pharmacists have large roles in the assessing medication management in
patients, and in referring patients to physicians like : -
• Clinical medication management
• The assessment of patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and for
decisions about the clinical medication management ,
• Specialized monitoring of disease states,
• Review of medication regimens,
• Monitoring of treatment regimens,
• General health monitoring,
• Compounding medicines,
• General health advice ,
• Providing specific education to patients about disease states and medications,
• Dispensing of medicines on prescription & sale of otc products,
• Provision of non-prescription medicines,
• Counseling and advice on optimal use of medicines,
• Advice and treatment of common ailments,
• Referrals to other health professionals, if necessary
• Dosing drugs in renal and hepatic failure
• Pharmacokinetic evaluation
• Providing pharmaceutical information like in swine flu control in society & family
planning
• Promoting public health by administering immunizations

4. Education of physicians and other health care providers on medications and their
proper use :
Medication errors are a big issue even in developed countries like USA and
pharmacist has a central role in preventing medication errors and improving life
expectancy of average consumers. It is estimated that in USA, injuries caused by
medical management are 2.9 to 3.7%. Preventable adverse event is a leading cause of
death in USA. When extrapolated to over 33.6 million admissions to US hospitals in
1997, it was observed that between 44000 - 98000 Americans die in hospitals each
year as a result of medication errors. It is the eighth leading cause of death
comparable to deaths caused by motor vehicles, breast cancer or AIDS. Medication
errors can certainly be minimized with more and more involvement of pharmacists in
the administration of drugs.
4. Pharmacist In The Society: Traditional Vs. Modern Role
Pharmacy profession is in its transitional state. The health care delivery pattern has been
completely transformed and has acquired an all-together different image presently. The
present of Pharmacy does not lie merely in dispensing of medication but in the provision
of relevant drug information and drug therapy recommendation to the people in the
society.
Over a period of time, the pharmacy profession has greatly changed , focused on
managing the production and dispensing of drugs with the safe, effective and appropriate
use of medication with pharmacy services to patients.
Refrences : -

5. 1. <http://www.wikipedia.org> Pharmacist [Accessed 15-jan-2011].
2. <http://www.whoindia.org> A report on challlenges & opportunities for
pharmacist in health care in india [Accessed 16-jan-2011].
3. <http://www.pharmainfo.net> Pharmacy profession :its impact & penetration into
society >[ Accessed 17-jan-2011].
4. Remingtons, the science and practice of pharmacy, 20th Edition, vol 2nd
lippioncott William and willcins. pp. 1911-1931.
SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
………………….. ………………………..
VIJAY SINGH Prof. (Dr.) Vipin Kukkar
B.Pharm. IV Yr. Director / Principal
(22/01/2011) (Project Supervisior)
SUBMITTED TO - APPROVED BY -
Signature Signature
……………………………
……………………………….
(Dr. Vikash Anand) Prof. (Dr.) Vipin Kukkar
Library Assignment Director / Principal