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Number of pharmacists — all countries

Number of pharmacists — OECD

Number of pharmacists in the OECD in 2023 — 968,439 people. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 379.5%.

2023 968,439 people −21.1% vs 2022
World rank —
Period maximum 1.23M people2022
Period minimum 201,975 people1985

Trend over time

1985–2023 · people

Number of pharmacists — OECD, 1985–20230500,0001M1.5M198519891993199720012005200920132017202120231985: 201,975 people1986: 320,206 people1987: 247,150 people1988: 343,223 people1989: 261,146 people1990: 351,996 people1991: 308,772 people1992: 403,403 people1993: 313,837 people1994: 429,652 people1995: 332,234 people1996: 440,077 people1997: 331,213 people1998: 463,406 people1999: 567,121 people2000: 763,048 people2001: 639,686 people2002: 835,920 people2003: 688,413 people2004: 837,856 people2005: 680,293 people2006: 871,492 people2007: 733,723 people2008: 947,193 people2009: 765,386 people2010: 973,152 people2011: 781,386 people2012: 1,004,537 people2013: 833,433 people2014: 1,066,363 people2015: 862,016 people2016: 1,113,500 people2017: 893,984 people2018: 1,150,673 people2019: 926,174 people2020: 1,190,499 people2021: 947,803 people2022: 1,227,437 people2023: 968,439 people
Change over the period: +766,464 (+379.48%) Average annual rate: 4.21 %
Number of pharmacists — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2023 968,439 −258,998 −21.1%
2022 1.23M +279,634 +29.5%
2021 947,803 −242,696 −20.39%
2020 1.19M +264,325 +28.54%
2019 926,174 −224,499 −19.51%
2018 1.15M +256,689 +28.71%
2017 893,984 −219,516 −19.71%
2016 1.11M +251,484 +29.17%
2015 862,016 −204,347 −19.16%
2014 1.07M +232,930 +27.95%
2013 833,433 −171,104 −17.03%
2012 1M +223,151 +28.56%
2011 781,386 −191,766 −19.71%
2010 973,152 +207,766 +27.15%
2009 765,386 −181,807 −19.19%
2008 947,193 +213,470 +29.09%
2007 733,723 −137,769 −15.81%
2006 871,492 +191,199 +28.11%
2005 680,293 −157,563 −18.81%
2004 837,856 +149,443 +21.71%
2003 688,413 −147,507 −17.65%
2002 835,920 +196,234 +30.68%
2001 639,686 −123,362 −16.17%
2000 763,048 +195,927 +34.55%
1999 567,121 +103,715 +22.38%
1998 463,406 +132,193 +39.91%
1997 331,213 −108,864 −24.74%
1996 440,077 +107,843 +32.46%
1995 332,234 −97,418 −22.67%
1994 429,652 +115,815 +36.9%
1993 313,837 −89,566 −22.2%
1992 403,403 +94,631 +30.65%
1991 308,772 −43,224 −12.28%
1990 351,996 +90,850 +34.79%
1989 261,146 −82,077 −23.91%
1988 343,223 +96,073 +38.87%
1987 247,150 −73,056 −22.82%
1986 320,206 +118,231 +58.54%
1985 201,975 — —

About the indicator

The number of pharmaceutical personnel, from WHO. The indicator matters for assessing the availability of medicines: in systems with a weak primary level the pharmacy often turns out to be the first and only point of contact a person has with medicine, and provision of pharmacists determines how safe that contact is.

Important: In different countries the category takes in both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, so comparison of absolute numbers between countries is approximate.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

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