Bowl of Hygieia is one of the symbol

Symbol

A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...

s of pharmacy

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...

. Hygieia

Hygieia

In Greek and Roman mythology, Hygieia , was a daughter of the god of medicine, Asclepius. She was the goddess/personification of health , cleanliness and sanitation. She also played an important part in her father's cult...

 was the Greek goddess of health.

Usage of symbol by pharmaceutical associations

The bowl of Hygieia has been used as a symbol of the pharmacological professional at least as far back as 1796, when it was used on a coin minted for the Parisian Society of Pharmacy. It has since been adopted by many more pharmaceutical associations worldwide, such as the American Pharmacists Association

American Pharmacists Association

The American Pharmacists Association , founded in 1852, is the first-established professional society of pharmacists within the United States....

, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia or PSA is a professional organisation of Australian pharmacists. PSA is the body that represents about 70% of the pharmacy profession in Australia, and it has more than 16,000 members...

, Pharmaceutical Society of Pakistan, and the International Pharmaceutical Federation

International Pharmaceutical Federation

The International Pharmaceutical Federation or Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique, abbreviated as FIP, is an international federation of national organisations that represent pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists...

.

Bowl of Hygeia Award

The Bowl of Hygeia Award is an award given by Wyeth

Wyeth

Wyeth, formerly one of the companies owned by American Home Products Corporation , was a pharmaceutical company. The company was based in Madison, New Jersey, USA...

to recognize pharmacists who have provided outstanding community service, as nominated by their pharmaceutical associations. The award was first given in Iowa in 1958. From there, it expanded to to cover all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all 10 provinces of Canada.