The school
«The Illustrious Official College of Pharmacists of the province of Las Palmas is a Public Law Corporation, recognized and protected by Article 36 of the Constitution, with its own legal personality and statutory autonomy, within the bounds of the law.
Its structure and internal functioning are democratic, and are regulated by the bylaws and in accordance with current legislation.
To belong to the Illustrious Official College of Pharmacists, it is an indispensable requirement to possess a degree in Pharmacy.
Membership in the College is mandatory to practice any professional activity in the province of Las Palmas that is covered by the degree in Pharmacy, except in cases and with the requirements provided for by law. For those who, despite holding such a degree, do not practice the profession, membership is voluntary, and they may voluntarily join the College as Associate Pharmacists, without the status of registered members. (Excerpt from Articles 1 and 2 of the Statutes BOC, 109 of May 24, 2011).»
The pharmacist
A pharmacist is a healthcare professional who is an expert in drugs and the therapeutic use of medications in humans. A pharmacist's role can include managing a pharmacy, working in a hospital, researching and developing new drugs, and more.
Pharmacist's Duties
With a prescription: The vast majority of medications require a prescription from a healthcare professional (doctors, veterinarians, dentists, etc.), and the pharmacist cannot dispense the drug if the patient does not present a correctly completed prescription.
Over-the-counter: Other pharmacy medicines (OTC) do not require a prescription and therefore anyone can purchase them without a doctor’s recommendation.
Another task of a pharmacist in a pharmacy office is to advise and monitor patients about the possible adverse effects of drugs, drug interactions, and teach them the best way to maximize the benefits of the drug and, in general, doubts about them according to all types of therapy. If deemed appropriate, the pharmacist can refer the person to a physician. Recently, the practice of pharmaceutical care has been advocated as the main task of community pharmacists. In Europe, not all pharmacies are owned by a pharmacist, although all require that dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical care activities be carried out by pharmacy graduates. In other words, even if it is a chain of pharmacies owned by a private company (e.g. Boots Pharmaceuticals in the UK), there must always be a pharmacist responsible for dispensing and providing information on medicines, who is usually considered the technical director of the establishment.
The research, development, manufacturing, and quality control of large-scale pharmaceutical dosage forms are other key responsibilities of pharmacists. Currently, this work is carried out in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. To this end, depending on the country, pharmacists are more or less prepared, leading them to undertake short or extensive postgraduate programs to perform these functions. In addition to the design of dosage forms and the manufacturing and control of medicines, pharmacists can fulfill a multitude of specific roles within the pharmaceutical industry (sales representatives, product marketing managers, clinical trial monitors, pharmacologists, pharmaceutical chemists, biochemists, regulatory affairs specialists, institutional relations, health economics, medical information, medical advisors, etc.).
The research and development of new drugs is a booming sector today. The need to find remedies for thousands of diseases is one of the top priorities for governments in the so-called developed world, and pharmacists can conduct research in a multitude of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences (as can other graduates in experimental, health, and life sciences).
Specialties
Hospital Pharmacy
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Radiopharmacy
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Clinical Microbiology and Parasitology
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Clinical Biochemistry
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Immunology
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Clinical analysis
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Industrial and Galenic Pharmacy
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Drug and Medicine Analysis and Control
Regulated pharmaceutical specializations
Pharmacology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Pharmaceutical Technology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Pharmaceutical chemistry
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Pharmacognosy
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Toxicology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Microbiology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Biotechnology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Physical chemistry
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Organic chemistry
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Food science
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Pharmacoepidemiology
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Botany
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Pharmacoeconomics and Health Economics
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Business Administration and Management
Master's/Doctorates for Pharmacy Graduates
Primary care pharmacy
Other fields of professional activity
Technical management of laboratories and distributors
Other fields of professional activity
Pharmaceutical Marketing
Other fields of professional activity
Pharmaceutical Policy and Management
Other fields of professional activity
Dermopharmacy and cosmetology
Other fields of professional activity
Environmental Health
Other fields of professional activity
Public health
Other fields of professional activity
Clinical drug research
Other fields of professional activity
Medication Log
Other fields of professional activity
Medication Information
Other fields of professional activity
Pharmaceutical care
Responsible provision of drug therapy to an individual patient
Pharmaceutical care in Spain is defined by the Pharmaceutical Care Consensus, which encompasses the pharmacist's tasks oriented towards the patient: dispensing, advice/consultation, and monitoring of pharmacological treatments.
Dispensing, advice/consultation, and follow-up of pharmacological treatments.
In the manual «Developing Patient-Centred Pharmacy Practice» published by the WHO, presented at the VI National Congress of Pharmaceutical Care, held in October 2009 in Seville, the following is stated:
Pharmaceutical care is an innovative concept in pharmacy practice that emerged in the mid-1970s. It posits that all healthcare professionals should assume responsibility for the outcomes of pharmacotherapy in their patients.
It encompasses a variety of services and functions – some new to the pharmacy, others traditional – that are determined and provided by pharmacists serving individual patients.
The concept of pharmaceutical care also includes the express commitment to the well-being of patients as individuals who require and deserve the consideration, concern, and trust of pharmacists. However, pharmacists are often unable to accept responsibility for this expansion of patient care. Consequently, they may not adequately document, monitor, and review the care provided. For the practice of pharmaceutical care, it is essential to accept such responsibility.
Pharmaceutical care can be provided to individuals and populations.
“Population-based pharmaceutical care” uses demographic and epidemiological data to establish formularies or drug lists, develop and monitor pharmaceutical policies, develop and manage pharmaceutical networks, prepare and analyze drug utilization/cost reports, conduct drug utilization reviews, and educate policymakers on drugs and procedures.
However, without individualized pharmaceutical care, no system can effectively manage pharmacotherapy and control drug-related illnesses.
The population-based functions identified above need to be produced well before or after seeing patients and provide valuable information, but they cannot substitute for patient-specific services while seeing patients. Medication-related illnesses occur frequently even with medications on a formulary or drug list, as these medications are often prescribed, administered, or used inappropriately.
Patients need pharmacists' services while receiving care. Appropriate pharmacotherapy is individualized. It includes individual decisions, achieving concordance (an agreement between the patient and healthcare provider on the therapeutic outcome and how it can be achieved), and critical patient monitoring activities. For each drug treatment in an individual patient, the pharmacist develops a plan of care in agreement with the patient. Thus, patients can contribute to successful outcomes by participating in the responsibility for their own care and not relying solely on caregivers, in an old-fashioned paternalistic style.
Pharmaceutical care does not exist in isolation from other healthcare services. It must be provided in collaboration with patients, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Pharmacists are directly responsible to patients for the cost, quality, and outcomes of pharmaceutical care.
