Studying the history of the Pharmacy Order is necessary to understand the formation of public administration of the healthcare system in Russia. The purpose of the work is to trace the process of formation and development of the Pharmacy Order as the first state management body for medical and pharmaceutical business in Russia based on the analysis of literature data. Materials and methods. A literary search was conducted in the Scientific Electronic Library (eLIBRARY.RU) for 2016-2026, the information received was systematized into 4 blocks: prerequisites for creation and discussion about the date of establishment; structure, management and personnel; main areas of activity and evolution of functions; transformations of Petrovsky time. Results. The order was established in the late 16th century – early 17th century, the exact date is debatable (1581, 1620 or 1632). The structure included doctors, doctors, pharmacists, translators, students and a large staff of auxiliary economic staff; at the initial stage, foreign specialists prevailed, Russian doctors appeared from the second half of the 17th century. The main functions of the order are the provision of medicines to the court and the army, preventive and anti-epidemic measures, forensic medical examination, organization of collection of medicinal raw materials, control over the turnover and use of various medicines, and training at the first medical school. Under Peter the Great, the order was transformed into a Medical office. Conclusion. The Pharmacy Order laid the institutional and legal foundations of the national healthcare system, determining the vector of its further development.
Keywords: Pharmacy order, medical and pharmaceutical business, formation, development