The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7404 p699
10 June 2006

Society summary

Representatives commend use of “pharmacy” title

Pharmacists should be encouraged to refer to the premises from which they practise as pharmacies rather than stores or shops, the branch representatives' meeting decided.

Proposing the motion, Peter Jones (Edinburgh and Lothians) said that certain nomenclature carried particular values and expectations in the public mind. As the profession takes on new challenges, it is vital to convey the message that pharmacists are professional people, not shopkeepers.

Yellow Pages has reclassified “chemist shops” as pharmacies and BBC News now almost exclusively refers to “pharmacies” and “pharmacists” when reporting pharmacy issues. Pharmacists should also have a consistent message and use a common terminology.