| Pharmacy
Awareness
American Pharmacists: The Growing Shortage and the P.D.A. Foundation's Pharmacy
Awareness
The health and pharmaceutical industries are exploding with new
developments on the cutting edge of scientific discovery and patient
care. With the recent mapping of the human genome, the general aging of
the population, an increase in the number of exotic diseases in the US,
as well as environmental hazards, pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy
professionals serve as key solution providers for improving the health
of the public
According to the Center for Disease Control (2004 report), 44% of
Americans are taking at least one prescription medicine and nearly 17%
are taking three or more. As the population ages and medicine advances
occur more frequently, these numbers are expected to increase. There are
now many new opportunities for professional growth, financial rewards
and an exceptional future in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical
research.
Despite these trends, and the significant opportunities in all areas
of the field of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, at current levels
of pharmacy school enrollments, by the year 2020 there will be a
shortage of 150,000 pharmacists in the United States alone. At the
18,000 independent pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities and
pharmaceutical corporations that require trained pharmacists; there are
already 8000 unfilled positions (source: American Pharmacists
Association). Trends indicate that the demand will only continue to
increase.
Equally as critical as the shortage of institutional and retail
pharmacists is the shortage of skilled medical and pharmaceutical
scientists working in academia and industry. This further shortage could
seriously hamper the research, development and manufacture of new
pharmaceutical products needed to improve health care.
 In
response to these recognized needs, The Parenteral Drug Association
Foundation for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Inc. (hotlink to
P.D.A.Foundation.org), in conjunction with WLIW New York Public
Television (hotlink to WLIW.org) and several national pharmacy
professional associations and pharmaceutical industry corporations
(link to sponsors page), has developed a three-year campaign designed
to highlight the needs and opportunities in pharmacy and pharmaceutical
sciences as important areas of health care currently facing a critical
staffing shortage.
The Parenteral Drug Association Foundation for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Inc. (P.D.A. Foundation), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit
corporation, raises funds and provides grants to educators and graduate
students for specific study proposals designed to advance the basic
pharmaceutical and applied sciences. Through its grant program, the
Foundation seeks to help alleviate the shortage of skilled medical and
pharmaceutical scientists, a situation that could hamper the research,
development and manufacture of new pharmaceutical products and delivery
technologies needed to improve healthcare. To further this commitment,
the P.D.A. Foundation has developed this Pharmacy Awareness.
The major components of the P.D.A. Foundation's "Pharmacy Awareness
Campaign" are:
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