Positioning Pharmacy for the 21st Century

Abstract

There are always high expectations for a new year—and certainly we will have even higher expectations for a new century. To continue leadership in the 21st century, the American pharmaceutical industry must make a stronger commitment to new product research and development and the profession of pharmacy must commit to development of services needed for new, high-technology products and devices that will often be parenterally administered, bulky, nontraditional, patient-tailored, infrequently administered, and device-oriented. It is suggested that pharmacy must initiate efforts to include drug administration as a pharmaceutical service. Other actions are suggested to modify the curricula preparing pharmacists and to recruit a wider variety of students. A number of other professional initiatives are recommended and discussed to position pharmacy for enhanced clinical services. The issue of subperformance by pharmacists is discussed by pointing out that there is a significant difference in what often is, what should be, and what could be pharmacy service.