Pharmacists among most-trusted professionals

Pharmacists tied for second place in a recent poll asking Americans to rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in various professions.

Since 1990, Gallup has annually asked Americans to rate professionals on honesty and ethics. Specifically, survey respondents are asked: “Please tell me how you would rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in these different fields – very high, high, average, low, or very low.”

Professionals are then ranked by the percentage of respondents rating them either “very high” or “high.” Quite predictably, lobbyists (6%), members of Congress (8%), car salespeople (9%), and advertisers (14%) were ranked lowest.

Nurses (82%) received the top spot, followed by pharmacists (70%) and grade school teachers (70%), medical doctors (69%), and military officers (69%). Nurses have received the top spot each year they’ve been included in the poll.

The ranking of pharmacists, meanwhile, dropped slightly from last year’s all-time high of 75%.

“We applaud pharmacists for once again achieving an impressive level of confidence and trust from the American public,” said B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association.  “The combination of their goodwill with consumers, extensive training, medication expertise, and easy accessibility has pharmacists perfectly positioned to play a larger role in the U.S. healthcare system.”

Hoey urged policymakers and plan sponsors to better utilize pharmacists’ public standing and knowledge to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.