Editorial Dispensing and the Technician: Part II

Should pharmacists continue to be responsible for performing the physical and mechanical tasks involved in dispensing? Despite the maturing of clinical practice in the hospital over the last 30 years, pharmacists in the retail setting continue to spend most of their time either dispensing or involved in other non clinical practices. What will bring about a more rapid change in the way the community pharmacist practices, and the pub lic's perception of what services the pharmacist pro vides? As much as I disdain the thought, I believe the only thing that will hasten change will be more signifi cant lawsuits against pharmacists that are upheld in the courts. Brushwood has pointed out that: The judiciary has been reluctant to accept the idea that pharma cist malpractice should be broadened from liability for misfea sance (commissive negligence such as processing a prescriptio