Compounding, pharmacotherapy and... civics?
Last month, McWhorter School of Pharmacy students traded the classroom for city hall, after petitioning the city of Homewood, Alabama, to recognize October as American Pharmacists Month.
As members of the American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) Academy of Student Pharmacists, third-year pharmacy students Destiny Rogers and Grant Smith sought to have nearby municipalities acknowledge pharmacists’ contribution to health care by recognizing American Pharmacists Month, traditionally observed in October.
With guidance from APhA, Rogers and Smith drafted a proclamation, which was brought before Homewood mayor Patrick McClusky, who ultimately signed and proclaimed October as American Pharmacists Month in Homewood.
Rogers, Smith and first-year pharmacy students Ibrahim Hamid and Peeper Walker visited Homewood City Hall on Oct. 31 for the signing.
"Having this proclamation signed by the mayor of Homewood felt extremely rewarding," Hamid said. "Being able to bring awareness to the pharmacists in our community is essential toward our profession. It emphasizes the important roles pharmacists engage in to prolong the life of our patients."
The proclamation reads:
"Whereas, pharmacy is one of the oldest of the health professions concerned with health and well-being of all people; and
"Whereas, today, there are more than 327,000 pharmacists licensed in the United States providing services to assure the rational and safe use of all medications; and
"Whereas, the use of medication, as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive medical procedures, is becoming a major force in moderating overall health care costs; and
"Whereas, today’s powerful medications require greater attention to the manner in which they are used by different patient population groups—both clinically and demographically; and
"Whereas, it is important that all users of prescription and nonprescription medications, or their caregivers, be knowledgeable about and share responsibility for their own medication therapy; and
"Whereas, pharmacists are specifically educated with a focus and level of expertise on medication therapy that exceeds that of other health care providers, are ideally suited to work collaboratively with patients and other health care team members to improve medication use and outcomes by providing services through medication therapy management; and
"Whereas, pharmacists provide both expertise and accessibility, which are crucial to patients fully optimizing access to medications that are not self-administered, such as, but not limited to immunizations; and
"Whereas, pharmacists are best positioned to be the health care professionals to help ensure patients are adherent to their medications and provide patient care services that ensure optimal medication therapy outcomes; and
"Whereas, the American Pharmacists Association and the Association of Student Pharmacists have declared October as American Pharmacists Month with the theme Pharmacists: Easy to Reach, Ready to Help;
"Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Patrick McClusky, mayor of the City of Homewood, Alabama, do hereby proclaim October as American Pharmacists Month in Homewood and urge all our citizens to acknowledge the valuable services of pharmacists to provide safe, affordable and beneficial patient care services and products to all citizens."
