NAPSA was formed in 1948 as the National Association of Pharmaceutical Students of Australia, and originally consisted of Queensland Pharmaceutical Students' Association, South Australian Pharmaceutical Students' Association, Sydney University Pharmaceutical Association, Tasmanian Pharmaceutical Students' Association, Western Australian Pharmaceutical Students' Association and Victorian Pharmaceutical Students' Association. At the time it was the largest representative body of pharmacy students in the world. It served to represent the interests of pharmacy students on a national scale, via their individual state associations. NAPSA was dissolved in the late 1980s for a number of reasons, and was reformed in 2001 by delegates from eight of the nine pharmacy schools of Australia.

The original member associations are again a part of the new NAPSA, along with La Trobe University Pharmacy Students' Association and Pharmer's Society (Wagga Wagga).

NAPSA's current aims and objectives, which remain practically unchanged since its dissolution, are as follows:

1. To establish a permanent form of contact between Constituent Organisations and to establish contact with the National Associations of the Pharmaceutical Students affiliated with the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation;
2. To protect the status, rights and privileges, and to promote the interest of members of the Association engaged as students, in any field of pharmacy, and to do all such things as may be necessary for such protection and/or promotion;
3. To promote the rights of non-member Students and Pre-registrants;
4. To seek the establishment of uniform conditions in respect of courses of study and qualifications for registration of pharmacists throughout Australia;
5. To cooperate with other organizations on a scientific, cultural and social plane with a view to furthering the objectives of the Association;
6. To arrange an Annual Conference between the Constituent Organisations and assist all constituent organizations as by the National Council's discretion; and
7. To maintain a policy platform that outlines the opinions and beliefs of the Association's members.

If you would like to find out more about NAPSA, please email us.