January 12 is National Pharmacist Day, established in 2005 to recognize the contributions pharmacists make to Americans’ health. Various organizations, health departments, and employers observe this day and encourage people to thank pharmacists.
Over the years, the pharmacy profession has become more sophisticated. While pharmacists in the past earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, recent advancements in education and training now require two to four years of undergraduate pre-pharmacy coursework, followed by four years of professional training, culminating in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. Virtually 100 percent of pharmacists entering the workforce now hold PharmD degrees.
Pharmacists are trained in pharmacology and possess in-depth knowledge of drug interactions. As a clinician, I often consult pharmacists when I want to prescribe a medication to a patient already taking several drugs, to help me choose a drug less likely to interact with them. They are part of the hospital treatment team, often key participants in the daily assessment and management of critically ill patients.
Pharmacists can administer vaccines and test and treat for common conditions like urinary tract infections, strep throat, ear infections, influenza, and COVID. In several states, they are also able to prescribe birth control pills and HIV pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis.
For most of this century, governments in Australia, Alberta, Ontario (Canada), New Zealand, and the UK have removed barriers to patient access to pharmacists’ services by significantly expanding their scope of practice. Pharmacies outnumber doctors’ offices, and many are open 24 hours a day. This can save patients time and money by allowing them to get tested and treated for common short-term ailments or receive screening and preventive care at a nearby pharmacy, rather than taking time off work and spending hours in a clinic waiting room.
Recently, Colorado, Idaho, and Montana have updated their “scope of practice” laws to allow pharmacists to work to the full extent of their training. These changes have increased access to healthcare services, making many of them more affordable.
In 2024, Marc Joffe and I released the Cato briefing paper “Let Pharmacists Prescribe.” Our paper concluded:
Amid a worsening shortage of primary care clinicians and a growing and aging population, state lawmakers should remove barriers to pharmacists practicing to the full extent of their training. Lawmakers should enable patients to receive treatment for minor and self-limited conditions, routine screening for common and easily detectable conditions, and preventive care from pharmacists.
On National Pharmacist Day 2026, we urge lawmakers to finally let pharmacists do what their training already prepares them to do.