Korean Pharmaceutical Association(KPA) and
WPPF hosted an International Symposium of The Roles of Pharmacists in the
Healthcare System on 6^th July, 2012 at the University of Sukmyoung
Women in Korea.

 

The
background of this symposium was that a number of factors are expanding the market
for medications and increasing numbers of people depending on drugs such as
increase in average life expectancy, aging population, and increased burden of
chronic disease worldwide. In addition, pharmacists are expected to respond to
the changing needs of consumers by ensuring the safe and rational use of
medication and assuring the quality of medication. In Korea, separation of
dispensary led to the changing roles of pharmacists in 2000. Also, the pharmacy
education curriculum was lengthened from a 4-year program to a 6-year program
in 2009. Thus, pharmacists are now expected to be better equipped to deliver
more professional services.

 

With those backgrounds, the
symposium focused on over viewing the global
trends and vision to further enhance the roles of pharmacists in the healthcare
provision, and outlining the roles of pharmacists and related systems in the
Western Pacific countries(Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea). During
the symposium we addressed the
expanding roles of pharmacists in delivering health promotion and disease
prevention services beyond the traditional functions of dispensing,
distributing medications, and drug counselling.