The Evolution of Clinical Pharmacy in Iran, Past to Present

Clinical pharmacy is delineated as that area of
pharmacy involved with the science and practice
of rational medication use. Clinical pharmacy
is a health science discipline in which
pharmacists provide patient care that optimizes
medication therapy and boosts health, wellness,
and disease prevention.
The practice of clinical pharmacy covers the
philosophy of pharmaceutical care; it combines
a caring orientation with specialized therapeutic
knowledge, experience, and judgment for the
purpose of ensuring optimal patient outcomes.
As a discipline, clinical pharmacy also has a
constraint to contribute to the generation of new
knowledge that advances health and quality of
life. Clinical pharmacists care for patients in all
health care settings. They have in-depth knowledge
of medications that is blended with a
foundational understanding of the biomedical,
pharmaceutical and clinical sciences.
To achieve desired therapeutic goals, the clinical
pharmacist uses evidence-based therapeutic
guidelines and professional criterions. Clinical
pharmacists take on responsibility for managing
medication therapy in direct patient care settings,
whether practicing in consultation or collaboration
with other health care professionals.
Clinical pharmacist researchers apply new
knowledge that supports improved health and
quality of life. Within the system of health
care, clinical pharmacists are proficient in the
therapeutic use of medications. They routinely
provide medication therapy assessments and
recommendations to patients and health care
professionals. Clinical pharmacists are a primary
source of information and advice regarding
the safe, appropriate, and cost-effective use
of medications.
The clinical pharmacist is a proficient in the
therapeutic use of medications; they are perceived
as providing a distinctive set of knowledge
and skills to the health care system and are
therefore competent to assume the role of drug
therapy expert. This expertness is used proactively
to make sure and improve rational drug
therapy, thereby preventing many of the
medication therapy errors that come after
inappropriate therapeutic decisions made at the
point of prescribing. The clinical pharmacist
provides an objective, evidence-based source of
therapeutic information and recommendations.
Finally, notifying that clinical pharmacists routinely
provide therapeutic evaluations and
recommendations underlines the fact that their
daily practice involves regular consultation with
patients and health care professionals on the
subject of medication therapy evaluations and
recommendations.
Clinical pharmacy activity began in Iran in
1991 through teaching modern therapeutic
Classes in undergraduate Pharmacy education.
The first group of residents to be trained as
Clinical Pharmacist entered a post graduate program
in 1994. The residency program in clinical
pharmacy was founded in Tehran University
of Medical Sciences, College of Pharmacy. The
first department of Clinical Pharmacy was
established in 1996 at the Tehran University of
Medical Sciences, College of pharmacy. The
program started with five residents. Tehran
University of Medical Sciences has had over
nine groups of residents. Currently there are
over 30 Clinical Pharmacy residents being
trained at this University. The department of
Clinical Pharmacy has 10 faculty members
ranking from Full professors to Assistant
professors. As the second school of pharmacy

in the country Shahid Beheshti University of
Medical Sciences started the post graduate
training of Clinical pharmacists. They admitted
their first group of residents in Clinical Pharmacy
in 2007. Currently they have over 10
Clinical Pharmacy residents being trained.
Clinical Pharmacy Program in Iran is a four
year program. During this program residents
spend 18 months in didactic courses to expand
their theoretical background. Then they are required
to spend 18 months in clinical rotations.
They have 14 months of required rotations and
the rest are optional. The last year of their program
is spent to complete their research project
which can be started from their first year in the
program.
Presently there are over thirty Clinical Pharmacist
graduates; they all have graduated from Tehran
University of Medical Sciences. They are
all member of faculties in College of Pharmacies
all over the country. They are practicing in
different fields of medicines, such as Intensive
Care Units, Infectious diseases, Nephrology,
Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology,
Oncology, Transplantation, PsychoPharmacotherapy,
Cardiology, Drug and Poison Information.
The Iranian Society of Clinical Pharmacy was
established in 2008. This organization mission
is to promote clinical services of pharmacists in
hospitals and also provide pharmaceutical care
services in hospitals. Also the aim of this society
is to establish the professional and legal responsibilities
of the Clinical Pharmacist in
health care systems.