Abstract
Multi-disciplinary team practice is more important in the ICU than in general wards, and pharmacists are essential member of the team. Moreover, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced that the role of pharmacists in the ICU should include not only management of drugs but also active involvement in treatment plans. With this in mind, we have reviewed the literature concerning the need of pharmacist participation in the ICU. It has been reported in multiple studies that pharmacist involvement in patient care activities in the ICU is related to medical cost saving, reduced medication errors and reduced mortality. The results of these studies suggest that pharmacists might be able to not only contribute to decreased medical expenditure but also have a positive impact on appropriate prescribing of medications and patient outcome. In Japan, if pharmacists become essential members of ICU teams and are actively involved in daily practice, their impact could be significant.
