EVERY year on 25 September, World Pharmacists Day provides an opportunity to recognize a healthcare profession that is often misunderstood. For many people, a pharmacist is simply the professional who dispenses medicines at a pharmacy counter. Yet the pharmacist’s contribution to health extends far beyond handing over a packet of tablets. Pharmacists can be important partners in disease prevention, medication safety, health education and the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

The theme of modern pharmacy practice is increasingly centered on the patient rather than the medicine alone. Pharmacists are trained to understand medicines, their appropriate doses, interactions, side effects and potential risks. Their involvement can help patients use medicines correctly and safely. The World Health Organization’s “Medication Without Harm” initiative emphasizes that pharmacists, alongside other healthcare professionals, have an important role in preventing avoidable medication-related harm through safer prescribing, dispensing, administration and........

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