Pharmacists in demand worldwide

Aging baby boomers’ need for prescription drugs causes shortage

There are already around 2,000 too few pharmacists in Canada to fill all the jobs available. As baby boomers age and the demand for prescription drugs rises, the shortage is expected to increase.

If pharmacists are overworked, there is the potential for a decline in service and an increase in human error.

The shortage of pharmacists is worldwide. Demand for pharmacists, particularly in the United States, is having an adverse impact on the number of pharmacists in Canada. Canadian graduates are being tempted to go south by larger salaries, signing bonuses and other perks.

There are nine pharmacy schools in Canada, producing about 700 graduates each year. The Toronto school is slated to double its enrolment to 240, but not until 2003. Given that the pharmacy program is four years long, the number of annual graduates is not expected to increase until 2007.

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