Pharmacy
A pharmacy is a shop where therapeutic drugs are sold. Sometimes a pharmacy is also called a drug store or chemist and druggist store. The people working in a pharmacy are called pharmacists, druggist or chemists. These people can recognise simple diseases and dispense drugs for some of them.
Certain drugs are special, because they can be addictive, or they change the way other drugs act, or they need to be taken in a special way. These drugs cannot simply be bought at a pharmacy. A prescription is necessary to get them. Medical doctors give out prescriptions, which can then be used to get the drug. The rules about what can be bought without prescriptions are different in different countries.
There are many small local pharmacy shops. There are also pharmacies in most hospitals which deliver drugs for the patients in the hospital. Many pharmacy shops do not sell drugs only. They also sell beauty products and hygiene-related products, like tampons for women and contraceptives.
The number of pharmacies in England has been falling. There were 11,500 active pharmacies in 2022— the lowest total since 2015/2016. The number of prescription items given out in 2021/2022 was 1.1 billion, 2.7% more than 2020/2021.[1] A survey by the Association of Convenience Stores in 2024 found that people thought pharmacies were the most vital local service, with Post Offices coming second and convenience stores third.[2]
Pharmacology is the branch of chemistry that studies the molecular structure of drugs to find better drugs.
Related pages
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References
[change | change source]- ↑ Quinn, Helen. "Community pharmacies at lowest number for seven years, NHS figures show". The Pharmaceutical Journal. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ↑ Burns, Corrinne (2024-07-09). "Pharmacies considered 'most essential' local service in annual poll". The Pharmaceutical Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-10.