Pharmacist’s Role in Biotechnology

Since last two decades, the formulation and drug therapy has undergone many changes. The role of Pharmacist has also changed accordingly. From dispensing of drug to manufacturing of drugs, it has now a days changed to patient counseling and care. The field of Biotechnology is developing as a new drug therapy. It is going to be the ruling drug therapy and its future is bright. Pharmacist has a great role in Biotechnology. He can be involved in all aspects of Biotechnology drug use processes, which are Drug distribution, Patient and Physician education, clinical monitoring, Research and social and ethical policy making decisions.

Drug Distribution

A Pharmacist has a major role in Drug Distribution. Majority of Biotechnological drugs are proteins and would be destroyed if taken orally. These drugs can be taken as an injectable or through non- conventional routes. Moreover these drugs require special storage conditions. Since Pharmacist is aware of all these parameters, he can handle these products with ease.

Patient and Physician Education

A Pharmacist is considered to be drug information specialist since he is ideally suited to educate the patients and Physicians regarding in-depth information of drugs. A Pharmacist can easily guide the people about the following drug information :-

• How and how much a drug is to be diluted before its administration.
• How and after how much frequency a drug is to be administered.
• Whether the drug is to be taken empty stomach or with food.
• How a drug is to be stored, its incompatibility with other drug or some food item.
• Other additiotional information like its adverse effects and toxicities.

Clinical Monitoring

A Pharmacist is well versed with dosing of drug, drug kinetics and its therapeutic monitoring. This describes a potential role of Pharmacist in Clinical Monitoring.

Research

Since most of the Biotechnological products have short plasma half life, they are conjugated with other substances like Liposomes, Proteins etc to form unique dosage forms. This increases the half life and bioavailability of the product. The pharmacist is a specialist in developing a drug formulation hence he can contribute a major role in it. The Pharmacist as a Clinical researcher may determine dosage regimen and its side effects. He can also guide about the incompatibilities of the biotechnological products with other parentral drugs.

Ethics

There are many ethical issues related to biotechnological products in which a Pharmacist can contribute.

• These products are costly and are not accessible to lower socioeconomic class.
• These drugs can be prescribed for inappropriate indications until and unless required by the Physician.
• In certain situations these products have questionable benefits.

Therefore, a Pharmacist must look into this and participate into the ethical policy making decisions.