Ezra Mugridge, Freshman
National Pharmacist Day is a lesser-known January holiday. Celebrated on the 12th, National Pharmacy Day honors pharmacists across America, acknowledging the hard work they do every day. Pharmacists don’t just distribute medication; many pursue the research path in their profession, sometimes even developing new medicines! Also, they were ranked as some of the most trusted professionals in America, described as honest and ethical. But where did National Pharmacist Day itself come from exactly?
Pharmacists date back to ancient Egypt, when priests were also doctors. It was in Rome and Greece that the profession was divided into both doctor and pharmacist. This continued into the Middle Ages until it became illegal for a doctor to prescribe medicine in 1683. After World War II, the pharmaceutical industry was developed and medicines were being produced in factories and being developed by researchers, leaving the bottling and selling behind the counter generally to the pharmacists.
Jonathan Roberts is known as the first hospital pharmacist, hired in 1752 as an apprentice physician. His successor, John Morgan, decided that the practices of medicine and pharmacy should be different professions rather than bunched into one. The actual holiday was presumably created by a group of pharmaceutical organizations intent on showing their appreciation for the hard work of modern pharmacists.
There’s over 300,000 pharmacists across America, with numbers growing every year. They play an important role in our healthcare system, counseling those taking medications so that they can avoid not only health but also cost concerns. While there’s not a lot of information on National Pharmacist Day’s creation and intended purpose, we can infer that we are meant to acknowledge our pharmacist’s hard work as they focus on building up a secure health system for America each day.
Although pharmacist’s jobs have changed quite a bit over the centuries, they still have a prominent position in the US, serving us in a similar way to doctors and medicine researchers. Be sure to thank your local pharmacist for all they do - we all have something to thank them for after years of helping us with our health conditions, whether small or big. Also, spread awareness on social media with #NationalPharmacistDay so more people can share appreciation for the profession this month!
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