Which term refers to the practice of preparing and dispensing medicinal drugs?

The term that refers to the practice of preparing and dispensing medicinal drugs is indeed pharmacy. Pharmacy encompasses a wide range of activities related to the preparation, dispensing, and appropriate use of medication. It is a vital healthcare profession dedicated to ensuring patients receive the correct medications and understand how to use them safely and effectively.

Pharmacokinetics refers to the study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body, which is more concerned with the body’s effects on a drug rather than the practice of preparing and dispensing.

Pharmacology is the science that studies drugs and their effects on living organisms, focusing on the mechanisms of action, therapeutic effects, and side effects of drugs rather than the operational aspects of a pharmacy.

Pharmacotherapy involves using medications to treat diseases and conditions and may include clinical decision-making for therapy management but does not specifically refer to the preparation and dispensing of drugs itself.

Thus, pharmacy is the correct term describing the practice at the heart of the profession, which is essential to patient care and medication management.