Bowl of Hygeia Award
Established in 1958, the Bowl of Hygeia Award recognizes pharmacists who possess outstanding records of civic leadership in their communities and encourages pharmacists to take active roles in their communities. The award is presented annually by participating state pharmacy associations, including those in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition to service through their local, state, and national pharmacy associations, award recipients devote their time, talent, and resources to various causes and community service.
The Bowl of Hygeia program was conceived and initiated by E. Claiborne Robins, Sr., a pharmacist and then-president of A.H. Robins Company. Mr. Robins’s fierce dedication to community service was the driving force behind the award's inspiration. Today, the Bowl of Hygeia is the most widely recognized international symbol for the pharmacy profession and is considered one of the profession’s most prestigious awards. The bowl represents a medicinal potion, and the snake represents healing.