At one time pharmacy was more about divine and priestly mumbo-jumbo, the priest being a vehicle of exorcising whatever afflicted the sufferer. This tendency remained even during medieval times when alchemy, necromancy, exorcism and other superstitions held sway. Even today many primitive societies have the local apothecary as the pharmacist who would offer potions of questionable value as medicine. However, since the time of Hippocrates, pharmacy has been an area of increasing human endeavor and enquiry. Today, pharmacy is defined as the profession of compounding and dispensing medication. The term can include other services related to patient care including clinical practice, medication review, and drug information. The term is also used for a place (shop) that sells medication. The cause of affliction has been an issue of intense intellectual and religious concern – what causes affliction, why it afflicts only some, how can the affliction be alleviated, are eternal queries of the pharmacist.
The discipline of pharmacy includes Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical chemistry (Medical chemistry), Pharmacy practice, as well as Pharmacology. Specialization can be based on the place of practice (community, hospital, consultant), or clinical role (nuclear, oncology, cardiovascular, etc).
Pharmacy is very important to all of us. New diseases are getting introduced everyday, and older medications are losing effect, or new strains are born. Therefore, the need for new medication is ever present. A simple medication can make the difference between life and death. Pharmacy ensures that we get a better chance at life. This section provides you with all the information you wanted on Pharmacy – history, theory, practices, and a comprehensive list of shops where that most important medicine that you need is found.