We evaluated the background and reasons why certain drugs were eliminated from prescriptions as a result of inquiries made to physicians by pharmacists in order to clarify the role that pharmacists play in separating drug dispensing from doctors (bungyo practice). From 750 prescriptions which were inquiried about in the two-year period between April 2003 and March 2005, we selected those from which at least one drug was eliminated and retrospectively investigated inquiry records, the registry of medication histories, and computer data for medical coding.
 The results of the analysis revealed 7 reasons for the elimination of drugs from prescriptions: 1) leftover, 2) duplication with other institutions, 3) no symptoms, 4) difficult to use, 5) discovery of contraindications, 6) poor communication with doctors, and 7) history of adverse reactions.
 This study showed that pharmacists notice inappropriate prescriptions mainly while checking the medication history and giving medication guidance to patients.
 Our findings suggested that pharmacists can more effectively contribute to the proper use of drugs, the management of drugs, and reduction in patients’ financial burden by skillfully obtaining information from patients while giving medication guidance and by transmitting the obtained information to doctors.

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