[The current situation surrounding pharmacies and pharmacists].

As Japan's society continues to age, the Medical Insurance System has been substantially reviewed. As a result, 1. The medical care system has been separated from the custodial care system with the allocation of medical and custodial care insurance benefits. 2. The basis has been laid in terms of the legal provisions and the medical remuneration requirements for the establishment of a home care system. Amidst the major transformation of Japan's social order in the wake of these moves, the pharmacy and pharmacist are called upon to play a positive role in:1. Fostering the correct use of drugs through the sale of drugs and by filling prescriptions. 2. Assisting patients in self-medication. 3. Being involved in, and supporting, custodial medical care for the elderly and home care. While some 9,000 pharmacists join the profession each year, the situation regarding the training of pharmacists is marked by a serious dilemma between the demand for pharmacists as a medical resource and the practical conditions for obtaining the qualifications of a pharmacist. The system for training pharmacists is about to enter a new era with the review of the university and graduate school courses and the introduction of clinical training in the course. These changes are expected to produce very positive results.