Pharmacists can be better used in the management and control of critical cases like COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Pharmacists play vital roles in the healthcare system by providing medicines, therapeutics, vaccines and critical health services to the public, as well as creating awareness about how to control and prevent diseases through counseling, advising and interaction with patients and public. Availability of continuous and expertise services of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic is important. Coronavirus infections can be prevented and its outbreak can be reduced by active engagement of pharmacists working in hospitals, clinics and community beside other healthcare professionals and doctors. The distinguished services and immense contribution of pharmacists in drug industry, drug testing, research & development, academia and regulatory make possible the availability of quality medicines which ultimately strengthen our health care, disease management and quality of life. Not only in COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists can play crucial role in many other critical health problems through selection of rational drugs and its doses and monitoring of drugs/ patients and adverse drug reactions, etc. Unfortunately in India, pharmacists are not properly utilized in critical cases, their expertise is not considered in clinical situations, and their importance is not recognized. Rather pharmacists are suppressed, underestimated and improperly used. Copyright © 2020, Indian Pharmaceutical Association. All rights reserved.