SENATE RESOLUTION

                         2001-8610

By Senators Parlette, Honeyford, Carlson, Rasmussen, and Costa

     WHEREAS, All citizens should be made aware of the safe, proper, effective, and efficient use of medications; and

     WHEREAS, Nearly half of the medications prescribed are used incorrectly, thus contributing to prolonged illness, avoidable side effects and interactions, and unnecessary hospitalizations; and

     WHEREAS, The efforts of our educational institutions, state agencies, and voluntary pharmacy organizations are instrumental in educating the public about safe and proper medication use; and

     WHEREAS, Pharmacists are devoted to improving patient health care outcomes in collaboration with other health care providers in the community, including hospitals, managed care, nursing homes, home health care, and research and industry sites; and

     WHEREAS, Over the past ten years, national polls have continuously ranked pharmacists as the most highly respected professionals in the country;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate hereby  recognize the pharmacist's vital service to the community and to the advancement of high-quality, cost-effective health care; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the State Board of Pharmacy and to the Washington State Pharmacists Association.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 2001-8610,

adopted by the Senate February 2, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate