This publication contains the speeches and conclusions of a seminar held in October 1999, which looked at the role of the pharmacist as a co-guarantor of health security. The first theme was health challenges of the 21st Century, which included the safety of new therapies, the pharmacists role in risk management and the problems of the counterfeiting of drugs. The second theme concerned the challenges of the new technologies both the dangers of selling drugs over the internet and the opportunities of increased networking professional information. The final theme looked at the risks of the new technologies and the ways that the pharmacist could add value. The conclusions of the seminar will serve as the framework for a Resolution of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers.