October is American Pharmacists Month.

Prime Opportunity for Consumers to Get to Know Their Pharmacist 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Pharmacists can save lives but for all of their capabilities and training, pharmacists are a highly underutilized population of healthcare providers whose goal it is to help both doctors and patients receive optimal results from medications. The latest survey from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) reports that while consumers are in fact interacting with their pharmacists, many still fail to realize the valuable role the pharmacist can play when it comes to educating them about the effectiveness of the medications they are taking and alternative medical treatments.

During American pharmacists Month in October, the public has a prime opportunity to get to know their pharmacists, to learn how best to manage their medications, and to take advantage of community health fairs that may be in their area. In addition, American Pharmacists Month is a good time to encourage patients to ask questions about their medicine. This coincides with the annual theme: Know Your Medicine - Know Your Pharmacist. There is a clear relationship between the consumer, their pharmacist and their knowledge of how to use medications with lower risk of adverse effects and better health outcomes.

The goal of American Pharmacists Month is to encourage consumer-pharmacist interactions around both prescription and OTC medications. American Pharmacists Month opens the door for patients to reach out to their pharmacists and learn about the profession. All across the State, pharmacists will be participating in promotional events and activities to heighten awareness of the services they offer and help consumers get to know them better. For a list of community outreach events in California, visit the American Pharmacists Month page, under the News tab, of the California Pharmacists Association website at www.cpha.com.

To further the Know Your Medicine - Know Your Pharmacist campaign, pharmacists throughout the nation want to encourage patients to keep and maintain an active medication list. Consumers are encouraged to:

1. Always keep an up-to-date medication list when traveling.

2. Organize label and update it frequently.

3. Talk to your pharmacist to learn more.

The result of the fourth annual national consumer survey of 1,719 respondents from a nationally representative panel of 3,006 households (57% response rate) also reveals that less than half (45%) of consumers have an up-to-date list of their over-the-counter medications. Keeping an active list of current medications is a simple step which every consumer can take to improve their health.

The bottom line is that Americans spend billions of dollars each year on prescription and over-the-counter medications. Many of these dollars are wasted if the medications are used incorrectly. In fact, the most expensive medications are those that aren't used properly--or cause harm due to misuse. The likelihood of medication errors occurring decreases substantially when patients know their medicines, know their pharmacist and feel comfortable asking questions and seeking the pharmacists' advice. Your pharmacist is an accessible and understandable resource - use him or her. To know your medicine, know your pharmacist.

The California Pharmacists Association is the largest state pharmacy association in the nation and the professional society representing all pharmacists in California. The mission of the association is to act as the leader in advocating the role for the pharmacist as an essential provider of health care and to support pharmacists in providing optimal pharmaceutical care. For more information about CPhA, visit www.cpha.com.