Pharmacy is the art of science of preparing and dispensing medication and the provision of drug and related information to the public. It involves the interpretation of prescription order; the compounding, labeling and dispensing of drugs and devices. Drug product selection and drug utilization review, the responsibility for the patient monitoring and intervention and the provision of cognitive services.
The report of the commission of Pharmacy, titled Pharmacist for the Future and often referred to as the Millis Report, states “.. that the pharmacy should be conceived basically as a knowledge system which renders a health service by concerning it self with understanding drugs and their effects.” It is the profession responsible for the appropriate use of medication, devices and services in order to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. Pharmaceutical care is a necessary element of total health care.