New standards of practice that describe in generic terms what a pharmacist does in fulfilling the basic responsibilities of the profession are presented as part of the Continuing Competence in Pharmacy Project of the American Pharmacy Association and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The four major areas of responsibilities for pharmacists are: general management and administration of the pharmacy, activities related to processing the prescription, patient care functions, and education of health care professionals and patients. For each of these areas, specific responsibilities and tasks are identified. In general, the administrative role involves pharmacy management, personnel, and fiscal policy, while prescription processing includes verification of the prescription for legality and physical and chemical compatibility and measuring quantities needed to dispense prescriptions. Patient care functions include clarifying the patient's understanding of dosage and potential drug-related conditions, referring patients to other health care resources, and monitoring and evaluating therapeutic responses of the patient. The educational role involves organizing, maintaining, and providing drug information to other health care professionals, organizing and/or participating in in-pharmacy education programs for other pharmacists, and developing a system for drug distribution and quality control. Among the uses of the standards are pharmacist self-assessment of both practice and ability to provide needed services. To make the standards work, more comprehensive procedures will require cooperation within the profession, from practitioners, educators, and professional associations. Findings from a national study of what pharmacists actually do, which provided the basis for the development of the standards, are summarized. (SW)