Pharmacist

Pharmacists are health care professionals that are experts on drugs and medication. They develop and prescribe drugs and medication to help prevent, treat and manage disease and disorders. Pharmacists ensure that patients receive and correctly use the medications they need to stay healthy and/or treat their disease or condition. 

Pharmacists typically offer services in pharmacies but also work in hospitals, the government or the pharmaceutical industry. Some pharmacy services include:

• Providing information on medication such as what it does, what it treats, it’s side effects, correct dosage, when and how often to take it, if it needs to be ingested with food, etc.
• Providing advice and information on disease and illness management and treatment, especially for chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
• Giving flu shots and other vaccines.
• Renewing and adjusting prescriptions.
• Explaining how to use health care devices or medications safely and effectively (inhalers for Asthma or EpiPen for allergies).
• Promoting public health and wellness by providing advice and education.

In Ontario, “Pharmacist” is a regulated profession subject to the Practice Policies and Guidelines, Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics defined by The Ontario College of Pharmacists. For more information on regulatory colleges, view our What is a Regulatory College page.