Pharmacist's Responsibility for Drug Distribution

Pharmacist's Responsibility for Drug Distribution and Control

• A pharmacist's primary responsibility is to ensure the safe and appropriate use of drug products and drug-related devices in any setting.

Key Aspects of Pharmacist's Responsibility

• The pharmacist is responsible for the evaluation, procurement, storage, distribution, and administration of all drug products.
• They should be involved in developing drug-use control policies in consultation with other professionals and departments.

Control and Distribution of Drug Products

• The pharmacist is directly responsible for controlling and distributing all stocks of drugs.
• They should also be responsible for drug-related devices, including electromechanical pumps, injectable drug administration devices, and plasma drug concentration monitoring devices.

Definition of a Drug

• According to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, a drug is defined as an article intended for use in diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans or animals.
• The term also includes articles intended to affect the structure or function of the body, and components of any article specified in the definition.

Scope of Pharmacist's Responsibility

• The pharmacist's responsibility extends to all areas where drugs are handled, including inpatient and outpatient settings, research areas, and emergency rooms.
• They should also be responsible for drug-use control in pharmacy satellite locations, ambulatory care clinics, and other areas.