On Oct. 6, 1852, the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1852, a group of 20 men met in Philadelphia to discuss these issues as well as one of their greatest concerns, drug quality. Among those present was William Procter, Jr., who later came to be known as the Father of American Pharmacy.

the American Pharmacists Association, as it was renamed, has its headquarters on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It includes a membership of more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists and other pharmaceutical professionals.