After a review of the state of the pharmacy practice, attention is focused on a set of problems that are strategic barriers or opportunities for the effective dissemination of drug information. The roles of manufacturers, government, professional groups, drug trade press, and pharmacy education are discussed. (LBH)

Pharmacists' contribution to the health care of the future in the future in the U.S. may have to be in the context of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of health-care delivery. It is from the area of drug therapy, now poorly administered, that the pharmacist will have to justify his role in a cost-effective manner. (Author/LBH)

As pharmacy seeks to attain professional recognition along with other professions within the health care system, it must seek to integrate the dissemination of drug knowledge along with its distribution functions and its educational system needs to produce pharmacists who can meet the drug information needs of society. (JMD)