Although they can no longer claim the title of "America's most trusted profession," the nation's pharmacists continue to rank among the most highly regarded occupational groups in terms of honesty and ethics. A new Gallup Poll of >1000 Americans found that 73% of respondents rated "druggists/pharmacists" to be "high" or "very high" in the area of honesty and ethics. The ranking was good enough to place pharmacists among the top 3 most trusted occupational groups for the past 27 straight years. For 2006, pharmacists were edged out only by nurses and placed slightly higher than veterinarians in terms of trust.

Pharmacy's placement in the 2006 Gallup Poll did not go unnoticed by leaders of the profession. "Pharmacists continue to be among the most trusted and accessible health care professionals," said Bruce Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the National Community Pharmacists Association. "Pharmacists prove their worth every day helping their patients choose and use the correct medications," and, during 2006, they have played "a pivotal role helping seniors navigate the new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan."