[Discussions of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Study Group on Training and Quality Improvement of Pharmacists].

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Study Group on the Training and Qualification Improvement of Pharmacists" met 10 times from July 2000 to June 2021, and its "Summary" was published on June 30, 2021. The purpose of this study group was to examine the future of pharmacists in Japan, based on the results of a survey on the supply and demand of pharmacists, in the face of the declining birth rate, aging population, and regional differences in population. The study group also assessed changes in the roles and duties of pharmacists, such as the promotion of family pharmacists and pharmacies, the promotion of team medicine in medical institutions, and the response of pharmacists to the regional comprehensive care system. The purpose of this symposium was to discuss how to train and improve the quality of pharmacists in the future, while taking into account the results of the survey on the estimated supply and demand of pharmacists. In this symposium, we would like to introduce what was actively discussed in the study group and what was compiled based on the discussion.