(PHD113) - INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACY PRACTICE

CHAPTER 1: PART 1- The Professions & Laws in Pharmacy

INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACY PRACTICE

By:
Nursyuhada Azzman
MPharmSc, BPharm (Hons), RPh
Lecturer
Faculty of Pharmacy
QR CODE FOR THE NOTE
Lesson Outcomes
At the end of this lecture students will be able to understand:
(CO1:PO1)
•The definition of Pharmacy, pharmacy practice
•The Profession of Pharmacy
•Divisions of Pharmacy
•Pharmacy Law and Ethics for Pharmacy Technicians
•Professional Characteristics of Pharmacy Technicians
Why become a Pharmacist?
•Interested to know how drugs works.
•Wants to be a part of the health care system.
•Interested to own your own business.
•Interested to undertake research.
•Interested to involve in drug marketing.
•Interested to become academician.
 Pharmacy
“The art and science of preparing and dispensing medications
with the provision of suitable drug-related information to the
patient”
The history of pharmacy
• The word pharmacy is derived form Greek word Pharmakon which
means a drug or medicine.

• The word pharmacy has been using since 15-17th centuries.

• It not only implies the profession but also the store where the
drugs are sold.

• The first pharmacies were established in Bhagdad.

• In Europe pharmacy like shops appear during 12th century.

• The first school of pharmacy was established in 1821 in U.S at

Philadelphia.
The history of pharmacy (continue…)

First Apotechary Marshall’s Apotechary

Hippocrates,
traditionally Pharmacy in
viewed as early
‘father of Nineteenth
medicine’ century Pharmacy in
21st century

In
FUTURE ???
Automated Pharmacy Dispensing System
North Dakota Telepharmacy Project
 MORTAR & PESTLE

An
internationally
recognized
symbol to
represent
the pharmacy
profession
 SYMBOLS

The green Greek Cross

Recipe symbol
Bowl of Hygiea used in France and the
United Kingdom

The red stylized

"A"
Caduceus Rod of Asclepius
used in Germany
and
Austria
 SYMBOLS

APOTECHARY
• Apothecary /əˈpɒθɪkəri/ is one term for a 
medical professional who formulates and dispenses 
materia medica to physicians, surgeons and
patients.

• A person who prepared and sold medicines and

 PHARMACIST
• A person licensed to prepare, compound, and dispense drugs upon
written order (PRESCRIPTION) from a licensed practitioner such
as a physician, dentist, or advanced practice nurse.

• A pharmacist is a health care professional who cooperates with,

consults with, and sometimes advises the licensed
practitioner concerning drugs.
EVOLUTION OF PHARMACIST’S
ROLE
 ROLES OF PHARMACIST
• Historically pharmacists were involved merely in
compounding of herbs to create tablets, capsules,
ointment, solution etc.

• However today the pharmacist still compounds and

dispense drugs but their they increasing spend
time on the following:

1. Gathering information and inquiring about the

medical, medication and allergy histories of the
patients.
2. Counseling on possible side effects and adverse
reactions.
3. Screening for drug interactions with other
prescription drugs, over the counter drugs and
 ROLES OF PHARMACIST
4. Providing information (continue…)
and making
recommendations about OTC medications as
vitamin, minerals herbs.
5. Providing drug information to the physicians,
nurses etc.
6. Providing advice about home health care supplies
such as insulin needles and medical equipments
e.g home monitors to check blood sugar etc.
7. Involved in procurement, purchasing and control
of medications and medical supplies.
8. Involved in preparing drug formulary and
updating the formulary from time to time.
 PHARMACIST ASSITANT
 Also known as pharmacy technician.

 pharmacy technician is a job title for a pharmacy staff

member "who works under the direct supervision of a
licensed pharmacist, and performs many pharmacy-
related functions.“

 prepares and dispenses prescriptions under the supervision

of a pharmacist.
 Working settings available for PHARMACIST
ASSISTANT

pharmacy/drug store hospital

health clinics

pharmaceutical industries sales representative

MAIN ROLES OF PHARMACIST ASSISTANT IN
HOSPITAL
 Receive and validate prescription or verbal request
 Understand and interpret prescription

 Compounding and dispensing the drug

items
 Recording and documentation of drug items and
other devices
PHARMACIST ASSISTANT IN MALAYSIA
 Pharmacy Practice
“A philosophy of care that expanded the
pharmacist's role to include appropriate
medication use to achieve positive outcomes
with prescribed drug therapy”
 Pharmaceutical Care
“Pharmaceutical care is a philosophy of
practice in which the patient is the primary
beneficiary of the pharmacist’s actions.”
 Pharmaceutical Care
Pharmaceutical care focuses the attitudes, behaviors,
commitments, concerns, ethics, functions, knowledge,
responsibilities and skills of the pharmacist on the
provision of drug therapy with the goal of achieving definite
therapeutic outcomes toward patient’s health and
quality of life.
Pharmaceutical Care (continue…)
• Pharmaceutical care is the responsible provision of
drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite
outcomes that improve a patient's quality of life .

• These outcomes/principals are:

 Preventing a disease or symptom

 Arresting or slowing of a disease process
 Cure of disease
 Elimination or reduction of a patient’s symptoms
 Pharmacy Professions
• Traditionally pharmacists are responsible to manufacture
and supply medicines.

• However; recently pharmacists role have been recognized

in providing pharmaceutical care which has moved their
directions and focus to Patients instead of the Products.

• Pharmacy is practiced in a wide range of settings including :

community pharmacies, hospitals, long term care facilities,
the pharmaceutical industry etc.
 Division of Pharmacy
Community Pharmacy
(Independent/Chain/Retail/ Klinik Kesihatan)

Primary care organization

(Education/veterinary pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy
military)

Division
of Enforcement Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Regulatory Pharmacy
(National Pharmacy Regulatory
Authority – NPRA) Industrial pharmacy
(pharmaceutical production/ sales)

Nuclear pharmacy
https://www.pharmacy.gov.my/v2/en/services
 Community Pharmacy
• Any independent or chain pharmacy that dispenses
prescription medications to outpatients; also called retail
pharmacy.
• This also include pharmacy in ‘Klinik Kesihatan’, although
this is a government-funded facility.

• There are few type of community pharmacy;

 Independent pharmacy (e.g: Hans pharmacy)

 Chain pharmacy (e.g: Rimadex, Kelantan)
 Franchise pharmacy (e.g: Guardian, Watson, Caring)
 Institutional pharmacy (e.g: Pharmacy UKM)
 Hospital Pharmacy
• An institutional pharmacy that dispenses and prepares
drugs to both of in-patients and out-patients.

• Provides clinical services in a hospital setting.

• There are three type of hospital pharmacy;

 Government (e.g: KKM’s hospital)

 Semi-government /Institutional hospital pharmacy (e.g:
PPUKM, HUKM)
 Private (e.g: Prince Court, Gleneagles, KPMJ)
 Primary Care Organization
•
Pharmacy
Any institutional pharmacies that are organized under a
corporate structure, following specific rules and regulation
for accreditation.
• Usually involved military, veterinary and education

• For example:

 PPUKM, HUKM, HUSM

 Hospital Terendak
 Universities giving pharmacy education (eg: UiTM, USM, etc)
Bahagian Perkhidmatan Farmasi
(BPF)

https://www.pharmacy.gov.my/v2/en
 Regulatory Pharmacy
•Formerly known as Biro Pengawalan Farmaseutikal
Kebangsaan (BPFK) or National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau
(NPCB, but now known as National Pharmaceutical
Regulatory Agency (NPRA)

• It was set up in October 1978 under the quality control

activity of Pharmacy and Supply Programme

• Beginning 1985, NPRA was given the task of ensuring the

quality, efficacy and safety of pharmaceuticals through the
registration and licensing scheme.
Regulatory Pharmacy
 Enforcement Pharmacy
• The Pharmacy Enforcement Branch plays a role in enforcing
the act (law) that involves medicine, pharmaceutical
products, cosmetics products as well as advertisement of
medicine and medical services.
• This is to ensure the safety and well being of the consumer is
protected.
• The main activities carried out by regulatory and
enforcement pharmacy include:

1. Registration & Licensing

2. Intelligence & Operation
3. Legislation
4. Advertisement Control
5. Pharmaceutical Control & Consumer Protection
Enforcement Pharmacy

VS
Enforcement Pharmacy

VS
 Industrial Pharmacy
• A discipline which includes manufacturing, development,
marketing and distribution of drug products including quality
assurance of these activities.

• Involved in R&D for big pharmaceutical company such as

Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline etc
• However, most industrial pharmacy in Malaysia produce
only generic medications

• Example of company in Malaysia – Pharmaniaga, CCM, YSP,

Biocon to name few.
Industrial Pharmacy
 Nuclear Pharmacy
• Also known as radiopharmacy
• Involves preparation of radioactive materials for patient
administration that will be used to diagnose and treat specific
diseases in nuclear medicine
• Generally involves the practice of combining a radionuclide
tracer with a pharmaceutical component that determines
the biological localization in the patient.
• List of facilities offering services:
 Hospital Kuala Lumpur
 Hospital Pulau Pinang
 Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru
 Hospital Umum Sarawak
 Hospital Wanita & Kanak-Kanak Sabah
 Institut Kanser Negara
Nuclear Pharmacy
Division of Hospital Pharmacy
Pharmacy Profession
 Pharmacy law & ethics for
Pharmacist Assistant
• Registration of Pharmacists Act 1951 (ROPA)
• Poisons Act 1952 (PA)
• Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (DDA)
• Sale of Drugs Act 1952 (SODA)
• Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act 1956 (MASA)
Professional Responsibilities of a
Pharmacist Assistant
• Knowledge about the drugs being dispensed (common
• Use, usual dosage, precautions about the method of use,
• Common side effects, common interactions with other drugs
or food, storage condition.
• Attitudes and skills required to communicate effectively
with patients.
• Knowledge about national polices and working guidelines.
• Good knowledge of societal norms and cultural values.
Professional Responsibilities of a
Pharmacist Assistant (continue…)
• Good working relation with other health care professionals.
• Good administrative knowledge and skill.
• Fair attitude towards patient interest and commercial
pressure.
• Respect to pharmacy law and professional code of ethics.
 Nursyuhada Azzman (RPh)
Bilik 21, Tingkat 2, Blok Pensyarah
Emel: nursyu437@ppinang.uitm.edu.my
+6011 - 3684 0085