Pharmacy practice has been around in India for a long time, albeit it went by several names and had a varied structure. Since the Pharmacy Act of 1948 was put into effect, the practice has been controlled. The Pharmacy Act of 1940 was amended in 1984 to require chemists to assist with registered practitioners prescriptions. This requirement was further strengthened the following year when the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945 were amended to update Rule 65. With the WHO publication of The Role of the Pharmacist in the Health Care System in 1990, a strong foundation for improving the environment for the expansion of pharmacy practice in India was established. The number of patients pursuing complementary and alternative medicine is rapidly increasing. The combination of generations of indigenous medical practitioners therapeutic experiences spanning over hundreds of years results in herbal medicines.