International Journal of Pharmacy Practice最新文献

Objectives: To assess the perceptions, practices, and awareness of patients with chronic diseases in Jordan regarding Ramadan self-management, and to identify factors influencing their quality of life based on utility scores.

Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted in outpatient clinics and hospital pharmacies across multiple centres in Jordan, following Ramadan. Muslim patients who self-reported having chronic diseases and had been receiving their regular medications for at least one year were included and interviewed face-to-face.

Key findings: A total of 900 patients were included in the study. Most participants (82.9%) fasted during Ramadan, of whom 90.8% did not consult a physician beforehand, and 69.4% did not undergo laboratory testing to assess disease control before fasting. Most patients (94%) considered physicians as their main source of information on medication use during Ramadan (94%). Participants generally showed good awareness of medications and procedures that break fasting. Higher levels of agreement with the Jordanian General Iftaa' Department on fasting were significantly linked to having a university education and an income of ≥500 JOD (P value < .5). Additionally, male gender, university degree, income of ≥500 JOD, village residency, non-smoking status, and fewer comorbidities or medications were predictors of higher utility scores (P value <.5).

Conclusions: Most participants were able to carry out daily activity, despite few seeking medical advice or undergoing lab tests to assess disease control before fasting. They were generally aware of medication routes and clinical procedures that break the fast. Emphasizing pre-Ramadan physician consultations and educational programs is recommended.

In the United Kingdom (UK), the vision is to further develop the pharmacy workforce through career development pathways aligning to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's post-registration foundation, advanced, and consultant practice curricula, which align with the four pillars of advanced practice recognized across multiple healthcare professionals-clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research. However, it has been recognized that research capacity, competency, and confidence within the pharmacy profession require development. It has been noted that it is this 'pillar' that most frequently impedes successful credentialing at both 'Core advanced' and 'Consultant levels'. A report presenting the findings of a UK-wide call for evidence on clinical academic careers in pharmacy outlines recommendations to embed a research culture in pharmacy careers, develop a clinical academic pathway for pharmacy, and provide a pipeline of pharmacy research leaders. The establishment of such pathways would provide opportunities for building capacity within the profession. The Scottish Pharmacist Clinical Academic Fellowship (SPCAF) programme was created to develop a network of Clinical Academic Pharmacist posts; a collaborative initiative between National Health Service Education for Scotland and the two Pharmacy Higher Education Institutions in Scotland is aimed at developing pharmacists as researchers to advance pharmaceutical care within the National Health Service in Scotland. This commentary presents a summary of an archival review completed as part of a wider research programme that adopted a case study approach with the purpose of evaluating the SPCAF programme cohort 1 (2021-23). The scope is to support others looking to develop similar practice-based research programmes aiming to build research capacity, competence, and confidence in the pharmacy workforce.

Background: Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, faces major challenges in delivering equitable healthcare due to workforce shortages, weak regulation, and inadequate training structures. Pharmacists, as accessible healthcare professionals, are uniquely positioned to address these gaps, but pharmacy education and practice frameworks require reform.

Objective: This report provides a comprehensive overview of pharmacy education, career pathways, regulatory structures, research culture, and future directions in Nigeria, with a view to aligning the profession with global standards and national health needs.

Key findings: The pharmacy undergraduate programme of study in Nigeria is undergoing a transition from the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, aiming to enhance clinical competence. However, training remains largely focused on basic science rather than clinical practice, and research capacity is underdeveloped outside academia. Postgraduate opportunities exist, including Master of Science, Master of Public Health, Doctor of Philosophy, and fellowships, though structured clinical residencies are scarce. Pharmacists pursue careers in community, hospital, academic, industrial, and regulatory settings, but face limitations in scope of practice, particularly around MTM and prescribing. A national research strategy is absent, and clinician-researcher roles remain undefined. Regulatory functions are fragmented, and reimbursement models for pharmaceutical services are lacking.

Conclusions: To advance pharmacy's role in healthcare delivery, a context-sensitive, systems-level approach is essential to unlocking the profession's full potential and improving population health outcomes.Nigeria must adopt a dual-competency educational model that prepares pharmacists as both clinicians and researchers. This will require curriculum reform, interprofessional collaboration, structured postgraduate pathways, and investment in research infrastructure.

Objectives: Over and behind-the-counter medicines are among the most used medicines globally, but their availability differs across countries. While they offer convenient access and fill critical gaps in healthcare, their misuse or improper administration poses risks. This study aimed to assess the inclusion patterns of over-the-counter (OTC) and behind-the-counter (BTC) medicines on essential medicines lists worldwide and examine their effect on public health in terms of accessibility and affordability, as well as the common medical conditions they are intended to address. Additionally, the study examines the regulatory frameworks governing these medicines to understand how healthcare systems balance accessibility with safety. Findings are intended to inform policy decisions aimed at optimizing medicine availability while minimizing potential harms.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a comparative analysis of essential medicines lists from 158 countries with publicly accessible lists. Main outcomes included the proportion of essential medicines classified as OTC or BTC, variations in their availability across countries, and a comparison with the World Health Organization's model list.

Key findings: Findings suggest significant variability in the availability of both prescription and non-prescription medicines across countries. While some nations prioritize accessibility by classifying a larger proportion of essential medicines as OTC, others implement stricter regulations to mitigate risks of misuse.

Conclusions: This study highlights the critical role of regulatory frameworks in shaping access to medicines and ensuring their safe use. Understanding global patterns in over or behind-the-counter medicine availability and their inclusion in essential medicines lists can inform policy decisions to optimize healthcare delivery.

Objective: Here we describe undergraduate and graduate degrees for pharmacy-related careers, the pharmacy practice model, including community pharmacies, the research culture among pharmacists, and the future focuses for pharmacy education and practice in Italy.

Methods: All available Italian laws posted on the Education Ministry web pages have been taken into account to describe the pharmacy education organization and the career paths afforded by university degrees in pharmacy and related subjects.

Key findings: Four kind of courses are present at the School of Pharmacy in Italy: a 3-year degree for Pharmaceutical Representatives which is obligatory for those wishing to work for large or and small pharmaceutical firms to illustrate new products for doctors, community pharmacists, and hospital pharmacists. A 5-year degree in Pharmacy prepares students to work in a community pharmacy to dispense drugs requiring a prescription and to produce galenic preparations. A 5-year Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology degree qualifies students to be pharmacists but also provides expertise in the chemical production of drugs. Further, a 4-year graduate degree in Hospital Pharmacy provides the extra training required for pharmacy graduates to work in hospital pharmacies. Regarding research activity at community pharmacy, there are no expectations of research or research-related activity, other than the proper compilation of the obligatory registries. Instead, in the hospital setting, research is organized by hospital pharmacists, often in collaboration with medical doctors.

Conclusions: Different courses at the faculties of pharmacy are available in Italy, and research activity generally only takes place in the hospital context.

Objectives: In Kuwait, asthma is recognised as the most prevalent chronic condition among the population. Asthma management in primary care settings remains characterised by parallel practice, where general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists work independently with minimal interaction. This study aimed to explore the experiences of GPs and pharmacists to develop a model of interprofessional collaboration for asthma treatment in primary care settings in Kuwait.

Methods: One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs and pharmacists. A convenience sample of GPs and pharmacists was recruited from primary care settings. Five primary care settings in each of the six districts in Kuwait were invited to participate. Participants were recruited either by directly approaching them in person or via email. Audio-recordings were transcribed non-verbatim and transcripts were thematically analysed using NVivo software.

Key findings: Three themes emerged from the analysis, capturing the key patterns and concepts in the participants' interviews. Theme 1: Blurred professional boundaries and hierarchical norms reflected the limited recognition of pharmacists' roles in asthma management beyond medication dispensing. Theme 2: Limited interprofessional trust described how the lack of mutual confidence hindered effective collaboration. Theme 3: Systemic barriers to working together included the absence of private counselling spaces, limited access to patient records, and unstructured communication, all impeding collaboration in asthma care.

Conclusions: Despite being co-located, GPs and pharmacists in Kuwaiti primary care experience limited collaboration. Addressing barriers at the individual, organisational, and systemic levels can support the development of a more integrated and patient-centred approach to asthma care in Kuwait and similar healthcare settings.