World Pharmacists Day is celebrated on September 25, a date chosen to commemorate the founding of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). The theme for 2026 is “Empowering Pharmacists for a Healthier Future,” which prompts us to reflect on the importance of these professionals in scientific progress toward a healthier global population.
With more than 4 million professionals worldwide, pharmacists are recognized as the most accessible healthcare professionals for communities. According to Pharma Excipients, in the U.S., approximately 90% of people live within 8 kilometers of a pharmacy. This year’s mission is to empower professionals to fulfill their roles in modern healthcare systems by recognizing their crucial role in building healthier communities around the world.
From Apothecaries to Modern Pharmacies
Originating in Spain and France, the first apothecaries emerged in the 10th century and later evolved into the familiar pharmacy model we know today. To qualify to practice medicine in these establishments, a candidate had to come from a respectable family, be of good financial standing, be fluent in Latin, present a certificate of Christianity, cultivate medicinal plants, and work in full view of the public.
Later, in the 17th century, the pharmaceutical profession separated from medicine, and doctors were prohibited from owning an apothecary. Thus, in ancient Rome we had the separation occurred between those who diagnosed illnesses and those who produced materials for potential cures.
With industrial advancement, a distinction soon emerged between pharmacies and industrial pharmaceutical laboratories. During World War I, the development of antibiotic therapy and immunotherapy began, and during World War II, research into chemical warfare led to the discovery of the first antineoplastic drugs. Medicines were recognized as playing an important and crucial role in building healthy societies.
Beyond the Profession
Being a pharmacist goes beyond serving customers in pharmacies. It is a humanistic and scientific profession dedicated to caring for the global population. Pharmacists are the primary point of contact for immediate health guidance.
Technical and pharmacological knowledge is essential to these professionals’ work, ensuring that patients get the most out of their treatments. Pharmacists are responsible for the correct medication administration, preventing drug interactions and adverse reactions, reviewing treatment regimens, and promoting patient adherence to treatment.
In addition to ensuring safe access to medications during a time of extremely high demand and global shortages, these professionals took on roles that went far beyond the pharmacy counter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of these professionals was essential to the development of vaccines. They educated the public on the proper use of masks, hand sanitizer, and hygiene protocols; clarified questions about symptoms and prevention; and served as the primary point of contact for emergencies amid overcrowded hospitals.
This range of functions reinforced the recognition of the pharmacy as a strategic public health resource and highlighted the pharmacist not merely as a dispenser of medications, but as an active agent of care, information, and trust during one of the worst health crises in recent history.
The Future of Pharmacy: AI, Gene Therapies, and the Challenges That Remain
The profession and what it means to “be a pharmacist” have evolved over the centuries. Despite the major discoveries already made, the future of this profession still has much to contribute to public health and to linking scientific advances to the needs of global health care systems.
Among the profession’s future goals is the implementation of artificial intelligence in laboratory settings for in-depth study of organisms and gene therapies, which involve correcting DNA directly within the patient’s cells, thereby eliminating the root cause of conditions that are currently considered chronic or incurable.
Despite gradual and encouraging progress toward achieving these goals, pharmacists still face challenges such as a shortage of professionals in the field, which ultimately hinder and delay scientific and healthcare advancements.
For centuries, the profession has been gradually gaining ground and has become one of the most important fields in healthcare in recent times. From human interaction to historic discoveries, the role of pharmacists in recent years, combined with the scientific advances the profession has been spearheading, has contributed to increasingly solid social recognition.
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The article above was edited by Isabelle Bignardi.
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