The scope of practice for pharmacists in the United States increasingly includes elements of prescribing under collaborative practice agreements and statewide protocols. However, as a result of continued health care access concerns, we believe that pharmacists will be called on to serve as independent prescribers in the future. For this anticipated practice expansion to become a successful reality, the assurance of pharmacist preparedness and continuous professional development through profession-wide standards will be imperative.
Keywords: clinical practice; education; health care policy; legal/regulatory issues; pharmaceutical care.