Book excerpt: This book contains essential knowledge on the preparation, control, logistics, dispensing and use of medicines. It features chapters written by experienced pharmacists working in hospitals and academia throughout Europe, complete with practical examples as well as information on current EU-legislation. From prescription to production, from usage instructions to procurement and the impact of medicines on the environment, the book provides step-by-step coverage that will help a wide range of readers. It offers product knowledge for all pharmacists working directly with patients and it will enable them to make the appropriate medicine available, to store medicines properly, to adapt medicines if necessary and to dispense medicines with the appropriate information to inform patients and caregivers about product care and how to maintain their quality. This basic knowledge will also be of help to industrial pharmacists to remind and focus them on the application of the medicines manufactured. The basic and practical knowledge on the design, preparation and quality management of medicines can directly be applied by the pharmacists whose main duty is production in community and hospital pharmacies and industries. Undergraduate as well as graduate pharmacy students will find knowledge and backgrounds in a fully coherent way and fully supported with examples.