Corner Chemist

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences, and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of medication. The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to patient care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize medication use to provide patients with positive health outcomes. The term is also applied to an establishment used for such purposes. The first pharmacy in Europe was opened in 1241 in Trier, Germany.

The word pharmacy is derived from its root word pharma which was a term used since the period of 1400 to 1600. In addition to pharma responsibilities, the pharma offered general medical advice and a range of services that are now performed solely by other specialist practitioners, such as surgery and midwifery. The pharma often operated through a retail shop which, in addition to ingredients for medicines, sold tobacco and patent medicines. The pharmas also used many other herbs not listed.

In its investigation of herbal and chemical ingredients, the work of the pharma may be regarded as a precursor of the modern sciences of chemistry and pharmacology, prior to the formulation of the scientific method.

Since about the year 2000, hundreds of pharmacies have begun operating over the internet. Many such pharmacies are, in some ways, similar to community pharmacies; the primary difference is the method by which the medications are requested and received. Some customers consider this to be more convenient than traveling to a community drugstore.

There are a number of online chemists and pharmacies in serving the needs of Australians. They offer the convienience of easily comparing and locating the best prices without the footwork and for some it offers a higher level of confidentiality.

Products at the online stores include medicines, vitamins and minerals, herbal supplements, health equipment, beauty products and much more. Many also provide regular store fronts and provide on call pharmacists to answer questions.

Online chemists and pharmacists in Australia include ePhramacy, Your Chemist Shop, Pay Less Chemists, My Chemist and Chemist Warehouse to name just some of the options available to consumers in this growing area.

But, like most things, not all is equal, the government website 'ScamWatch' provides details on fake online pharmacies and if you've ever had an email inbox you'll have more than likely been witness to some of their spurious offers! Visit the ScamWatch site to learn more.