Pharmacists' reactions to natural disasters: from Japan to Canada

Pharmacists engage in patient-centred care on a daily basis, often without realizing the importance of their role. In this article, we tell the story of pharmacists’ responses to patients during recent natural disasters in Japan and Canada, to show that beyond everyday work commitments, pharmacists can go a step further in patient care to ensure the safety of patients and to meet their medical needs in devastating situations. The disasters that are described here were very different, but these pharmacists gave their time and energy to make sure their patients’ needs were met throughout the disaster period and after. At the time these interviews were conducted (summer 2015), years after the disasters, the pharmacists responded that they were taking steps to make sure that they could be more effective in their future patient care, as well.