A cooperative pharmacy project: an autopsy on a community health intervention.

An attempt to implement a cooperative pharmacy project within a public housing project for the elderly is described. It was designed to provide low-cost prescriptions and pharmaceutical counseling as well as a coordinated record system for the elderly residents and other members of the senior citizens association. The resistance of local pharmacists and others caused substantial alterations to be made, eliminating the more consumer-oriented elements and emphasizing the more professional and technical aspects. Because of insufficient participation by the pharmacists and the consumers, the project died. The reasons for this failure are explored.