As we mark World Pharmacists Day on September 25, the 2025 theme “Think Health, Think Pharmacist” offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the remarkable evolution of the pharmacy profession in Malaysia.
We take pride in the fact that the current Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Alice Lau, is a pharmacist by training. Furthermore, Malaysia’s top research universities–Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) now have pharmacists serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellors. Their appointments are a powerful testament to the leadership capabilities nurtured within the pharmacy profession.
As of 2025, there are 22,526 practising pharmacists, which equates to a population ratio of 1-to-1,597. This remains below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended ratio of 1-to-1,000.
A closer look at the number of newly registered pharmacists in Malaysia reveals a worrying trend. After a substantial surge that saw nearly 2,200 new pharmacists registered in the peak year of 2019, the post-pandemic years have shown a sharp decline. The number of new pharmacists fell dramatically to just 1,006 in 2025, which is the lowest since 2014.
As the roles of pharmacists continue to expand, this decline highlights an urgent need for strategic workforce planning to ensure we have enough professionals to meet Malaysia’s growing health care demands.
Pharmacists are no longer confined behind the dispensing counter. Today, they are among the most accessible health care professionals in our communities, including the provision of immunisation services to the public.
Furthermore, randomised controlled trials have shown that pharmacist-led home medication reviews are a cost-effective approach. The services provided by pharmacist have been proven to significantly improve glycaemic control, quality of life and medication adherence, and disease knowledge among patients with diabetes mellitus, while also reducing unnecessary medication wastage.
The advancement of pharmacist-led services is not only improving health outcomes but is also reducing the burden on primary care clinics and hospitals. Such innovations are in line with Malaysia’s Health White Paper, which emphasises person-centred care and stronger primary care.
In addition, the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) “Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat” highlights the active role of pharmacists in public health campaigns and medication screening initiatives.
When you think about accessible health care, medication safety, and preventive care, Think Health, Think Pharmacist.
Prof Long Chiau Ming is from the School of Pharmacy, Sunway University.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
