Founded as the American Pharmaceutical Association on October 6, 1852, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is the oldest national professional pharmacy organization in the United States. Established by pharmacists seeking to improve medicine quality and professional standards, the Association worked to combat drug adulteration, advance pharmacy education, promote ethical practice, and protect public health. From its earliest years, APhA served as a national forum for pharmacists and helped lay the foundation for modern pharmacy practice.
Over more than 170 years, APhA has helped guide the profession through significant changes in health care, science, and medication use. The association supported the evolution of pharmacy from a profession centered on compounding medicines to one focused on patient care, medication management, public health, and advocacy. In 2002, the organization changed its name from the American Pharmaceutical Association to the American Pharmacists Association to better reflect the pharmacists it represents.
Today, APhA represents pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, new practitioners, and pharmacy technicians while continuing its mission to advance the profession and improve patient care.