Role of pharmacies and pharmacists: Emerging horizons
Pharmacy is one unit of healthcare that connects everyone. One may hesitate to visit a doctor or hospital, but not a pharmacy. Whether it is information about which medicine to take for stomach ache, fever or diarrhoea, or merely an enquiry for a good doctor in the area, the first thought that comes to mind is to consult one’s neighbourhood pharmacist. The relationship shared between pharmacists and customers is changing, and it opens up new possibilities about the role of a pharmacist. Keeping an eye on this relationship, this article throws light on the changing role of pharmacists and the factors that influence this change.

About the author:
Rajendra Gupta is the director of Sante Mernaud Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd and is also on the board of several companies in the US and India, across retail, hospital chains, disease management, pharma R&D, diagnostics, biotechnology, geneomics and clinical research, among others. Email: mail@rajendragupta.org