Exploring the Contribution of Pharmacists in Addressing the Opioid Crisis through Naloxone Prescriptions and Pharmacist-Led Interventions

The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to take the lives of many individuals, with overdoses continuing to rise every year. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that is efficacious in temporarily reversing opioid overdoses. Pharmacists play an important role in the accessibility and education of naloxone in both the community and health system settings. Recent efforts, such as co-dispensing naloxone with opioid prescriptions, naloxone training programs, and approval of naloxone to be over-the-counter, have been implemented in hopes to better control the opioid epidemic. Despite the efforts to make naloxone more accessible, there are still some barriers to overcome such as lack of training, cost, stigma, and patient refusal. This review aims to explore the contributions pharmacists have made thus far and define the barriers that still have to be resolved.

Rôles et vécus des pharmaciens d’officine dans les soins palliatifsàdomicile en France Role and Experience ofCommunity Pharmacists in Home Palliative Care in France

The need for home palliative care is increasing in allWestern countries.Community pharmacists are local professionals whose role in end-of-life care at home remains poorly understood.The aim of this study is to understand how community pharmacists see their role in end-of-life home care in France,and to analyze their experiences of this care.An online questionnaire was distributed to community pharmacists working in France between December 2022 and March 2023.Of the 136 respondents to the questionnaire,87%had accompanied at least one patient at the end of life in the 3 months preceding the survey.Therapeutic education(88%of respondents),psychological support for caregivers(85%of respondents),securing treatment(82%of respondents)and monitoring therapeutic compliance(80%of respondents)are the behaviors validated by the greatest number of participants.The majority of professionals surveyed had a positive overall experience of managing patients at the end of life.These results pave the way for pharmacists to better support end-of-life patients at home.

Roles of Community Pharmacists in Screening and Disseminating of Information about Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Risks: Implications for Drug Safety Assessment

Background: The increasing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both on prescription and over the counter raises a major global health concern because of the risks associated with their use if no proper guidance is given by the health care provider. This study assessed the roles of community pharmacists in screening and disseminating information about the risks associated with NSAID use in Zambia. Methodology: This was a national cross-sectional study in which a structured self-administered questionnaire was administered to 245 registered community pharmacists in Zambia. Stata/BE, version 15.1 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs. Results: 231 of the 245 distributed questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 94.3%. All (100%) participating community pharmacists claimed to have practiced dispensing NSAIDs. However, only 26 (11.0%) and 71 (30.8%) regularly screened for risk factor of selective COX-2 NSAIDS (SC2-NSAIDS) and non-selective NSAIDS (NS-NSAIDs) respectively. Information dissemination on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of SC2-NSAIDS was regularly provided by only 22 (9.5%) of pharmacists while that of NS-NSAIDs was regularly provided by 49 (21.2%). In the multivariate logistic regression model, being the owner of a pharmacy (AOR: 5.4, CI: 1.84 - 16.4) was significantly associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs while an hour increase in the working hours per day (AOR: 0.9, CI: 0.64 - 0.95) was associated with less likelihood of information dissemination. Conclusion: Pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Zambia did not regularly screen and disseminate information about the risks associated with NSAID use. Therefore, pharmacists should be able to screen and monitor patients at risk and be aware of the majority of risk factors while dispensing NSAIDs to minimize the associated complications.

Comparison of Anticancer Drug Preparation Techniques between Chemotherapy Specialist Pharmacists and Non-Chemotherapy Pharmacists Using Eye-Tracking Techniques

Anticancer drug preparation by pharmacists is a critical task directly related to medical incidents. This study examined the factors influencing medical errors in chemotherapy, that is, errors by specialist pharmacists (CPh) and pharmacists in other departments (NCPh), by measuring their gaze during the preparation of anticancer drugs. The eye-tracking results showed that the gazing time of NCPh was significantly longer than that of CPh for items such as “preparation of a closed-system device” and “preparation of the syringe” and all preparation times (P < 0.05). The NCPh were not assigned to prepare drugs on a regular basis, indicating their lack of familiarity with the process. There was no significant difference in gaze ratio between CPh and NCPh. This outcome was suggested to be a result of the use of an anticancer drug preparation support system. The results for the pupil diameter variation rate showed that NCPh were significantly more mydriatic in the “mixing injections” category than CPh. However, CPh tended to be more mydriatic in the “checking” category. CPh exhibited a smooth workflow and focused on the important items to be checked. This study showed that the differences in procedure flow and concentration points may lead to errors. Furthermore, the results are of interest from the perspective of medical incident prevention. They will be useful in identifying potential human factors, such as where the pharmacist focuses their attention by measuring eye movements.

A Survey on Pharmacists’ Job Burnout and Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Era

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak negatively impacted pharmacists who provided basic medical services by inducing anxiety and depression, thus, leading to medical errors. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the job burnout and satisfaction levels among hospital pharmacists during the period when China downgraded COVID-19 from a Category A disease to a Category B disease. Method: We selected pharmacists from several medical institutions in Yunnan Province as the subjects by using the general information questionnaire survey, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and the Work Environment Scale-10 (WES-10). Results: After analyzing 461 questionnaires, the results showed that the age and marital status of the pharmacists displayed significant effects on their emotional exhaustion and sense of achievement, with younger pharmacists getting higher and lower scores for their tests on emotional exhaustion and sense of achievement, respectively (p Conclusion: Hence, it was concluded that the job burnout of pharmacists was at a low level during the period when China downgraded COVID-19 as a Category B disease from Category A.

Clinical pharmacists’ involvement in carbapenem antibiotics management at Wenzhou Integrated Hospital

BACKGROUND Carbapenem antibiotics are a pivotal solution for severe infections,particularly in hospital settings.The emergence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria owing to the irrational and extensive use of carbapenems underscores the need for meticulous management and rational use.Clinical pharmacists,with their specialized training and extensive knowledge,play a substantial role in ensuring the judicious use of carbapenem.This study aimed to elucidate the patterns of carbapenem use and shed light on the integral role played by clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting the rational use of carbapenem antibiotics at Wenzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital.AIM To analyze carbapenem use patterns in our hospital and role of clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting their rational use.METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of carbapenem use at our hospital between January 2019 and December 2021.Several key indicators,including the drug utilization index,defined daily doses(DDDs),proportion of antimicrobial drug costs to total hospitalization expenses,antibiotic utilization density,and utilization rates in different clinical departments were comprehensively analyzed.RESULTS Between 2019 and 2021,there was a consistent decline in the consumption and sales of imipenem-cilastatin sodium,meropenem(0.3 g),and meropenem(0.5 g).Conversely,the DDDs of imipenem-cilastatin sodium for injection increased in 2020 and 2021 vs 2019,with a B/A value of 0.67,indicating a relatively higher drug cost.The DDDs of meropenem for injection(0.3 g)exhibited an overall upward trend,indicating an increasing clinical preference.However,the B/A values for 2020 and 2021 were both>1,suggesting a relatively lower drug cost.The DDDs of meropenem for injection(0.5 g)demonstrated a progressive increase annually and consistently ranked first,indicating a high clinical preference with a B/A value of 1,signifying good alignment between economic and social benefits.CONCLUSION Carbapenem use in our hospital was generally reasonable with a downward trend in consumption and sales over time.Clinical pharmacists play a pivotal role in promoting appropriate use of carbapenems.

A Study of Pharmacist-Patient Communication: Examining Optimal Distance and Angle Using an Eye-Tracking System

This study focuses on seating arrangement and interpersonal distance as important aspects of nonverbal communication and aims to elucidate the optimal distance and angle between pharmacist and patient through an analysis based on the subjective evaluation of the patient and the objective evaluation of eye movements. Seven female simulated patients and one male and one female pharmacist cooperated as patients and pharmacists, respectively. The medication teaching scenes were set up with three pharmacist placements (face-to-face at 50 cm and 70 cm, 90-degree at 70 cm) and three hospital rooms (0-degree, 45-degree, 90-degree). Pupil diameter, blink rate, saccades, and fixation rate of the patient at each of these locations were measured using a Tobii Pro Glass 2. The patient’s subjective evaluation at each placement was also investigated using the conversation scale, which assesses the optimal distance for conversation. The results for the pharmacy setting revealed that pupils were significantly more mydriatic at the 50 cm point than at the other points. The results for the hospital room setting showed the greatest mydriasis at the 0-degree point. The result of the 50 cm point for the pharmacy setting and the 0-degree point for the hospital room setting was similar to that of the subjective evaluation. When the likelihood of saccades occurrence in the hospital room setting was compared, saccades were found to be most likely to occur when medication instructions were given to patients at the 0-degree point. We believe that using pupil diameter for interpersonal distance, and saccades for angle will enable more accurate determinations of the optimal distance and angle between pharmacist and patient. The results of the present study suggest that the 70 cm face-to-face point in the pharmacy and the 45-degree point in the ward may be suitable for medication instruction.

Perceptions of Generic Drugs in the Pharmacists of Public Hospitals:A Cross-sectional Survey in Hubei Province of China

Objective:Generic drugs provide an opportunity for savings in drug expenditure since they are available at a lower cost and do not affect patients’health.A better understanding of pharmacists’knowledge,attitudes,and perception can promote the quality use of generic drugs.The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge,attitudes,and perception of pharmacists from tertiary hospitals in China regarding generic drugs.Methods:A cross-sectional survey using a postal questionnaire was conducted,which was sent to 200 hospital pharmacists randomly selected from tertiary hospitals in Hubei Province.A total of 125 questionnaires out of 200 were received.Of the respondents,80 were female and 45 were male.Results:The majority of respondents(87.2%)could clearly distinguish between original and generic drugs.Pharmacists agreed that generic drugs were less effective(52.8%)and produced more side effects(52%).Forty-nine respondents thought that generic drug products were not adequately tested.Approximately 78% and 60% of the pharmacists indicated that generic substitution was not feasible for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows and drugs for critical diseases,respectively.Most of them supported the recommendation of generic drugs based on professional judgment.Conclusion:Our study showed that a considerable portion of Chinese hospital pharmacists hold negative perceptions of generic drugs.Interventions to improve pharmacists'knowledge of generic drugs are needed.

Perception of Physicians to the Role of Clinical Pharmacists in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The present study aims to investigate the perceptions and experience of physicians regarding the clinical role of the pharmacists. This is an observational study that was conducted during the period of September 2013 through March 2014. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to be distributed by personal interview to the physicians. The questionnaire population consisted of randomly selected physicians practicing in UAE. The questionnaire was piloted by 10 physicians for face and understandability. Demographic data, frequencies and cross tabulation between different variables were calculated. The Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of association between categorical variables (gender, length of medical practice, and specialty) and the perception of physicians. A total of 285 filled questionnaires were returned representing 285 physicians, with a male dominance (65.3%). The average age of the physician screened was 32.4 (SD = 10.38) years with a minimum one year experience and up to 24 years. General practitioners consumed the widest sector (21.8%) followed by cardiologists (15.8%), then internal medicine (10.1%). In the current study, two thirds of the physicians believed that pharmacists could act as a reliable source of general drug information and play an important role in discovering clinical related problems. It was found that the physicians who had fewer years in practice (less than 10 years) and recently graduated had more acceptances to the clinical role of the pharmacist and believed that there should be a clinical pharmacy services in their hospitals (p-value < 0.05). No other statistically significant differences were found from analyzing the data. In conclusion, results suggest that physicians in UAE appear comfortable with pharmacists providing the broad range of services but appear somewhat less comfortable with pharmacists’ provision of direct patient care.

A Web-Based Cardiovascular Risk Assessment via Pharmacists: A Feasibility and Validation Study

Background: Involving pharmacists in clinical care could improve the identification of subjects at risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease. Data on web-based approach involving pharmacists for CV disease risk assessment are very limited. Methods: We first developed a web-based CV risk assessment tool to be used by pharmacists that includes demographic, lifestyle, biological and anthropometric information. Biological and anthropometric data were collected in independent laboratories. We then assessed the feasibility and validity of this approach by inviting adults who previously (within 6 months) participated in a Swiss standardized population-based study to fill out the web-based platform. Attrition rates and correlations were used to assess the feasibility and validity, respectively. Proportions were expressed as percentages and continuous variables were expressed as means ± standard deviations (SD). Main Outcomes Measure: Proportions of participants who 1) agreed to participate;2) filled out the questionnaire and had their biological and anthropometric measures taken;3) only filled out the questionnaire;and 4) only had their biological and anthropometric measures taken. Correlations were used to compare continuous variables (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total plasma cholesterol, HDL plasma cholesterol, LDL plasma cholesterol, triglycerides) collected via both studies. Results: Overall, 218 (53.2% women) adults of the population-based study were eligible and were contacted to participate, from April to November 2013. Of these, 140 (64.2%) agreed to participate. The majority (67/140, 47.8%) both filled out the questionnaire and had their biological/anthropometric measures taken, whereas only 2.8% and 7.1% only filled out the questionnaire or only had their biological measures taken, respectively. Except for systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and triglycerides, the correlations between the measures obtained in the population-based study and the web-based approach were generally greater than 0.80, suggesting very good correlations. Conclusions: A web-based CV risk assessment via pharmacists is a feasible and valid approach. This web-based approach should be adapted to lower attrition, and its impact on CV risk factors should be further tested.

Licensed Pharmacists in Pharmaceutical Retail Enterprises in China: Problems and Countermeasures

Objective To analyze the status and problems of licensed pharmacists in pharmaceutical retail enterprises in China, and to put forward suggestions for improving licensed pharmacists’ abilities. Methods Literature review and questionnaire survey were used to analyze the basic status of licensed pharmacists in pharmaceutical retail enterprises and fishbone diagram was used to find out the problems. Results and Conclusion Pharmaceutical retail enterprises have the following problems when they employ pharmacists, such as lack of assessment system, too general incentive policies. The causes of problems lie in four aspects, including system, environment, pharmacy and pharmacists. As to the above problems, the government should make policies to encourage and regulate enterprises to explore remote prescription service through Internet. Furthermore, pharmaceutical retail enterprises can take the advantage of Internet to develop a comprehensive performance appraisal system for licensed pharmacists. The assessment information platform will reflect the true level of pharmacists and enhance their professional value.

Japanese Community Pharmacists’ Barriers to Conducting or Participating in Practice Research

Objectives: This study identified barriers to Japanese community pharmacists’ active conduct or participation in practice research. Methods: Community pharmacists (n = 478) who gave presentations at three major pharmacy-related conferences in 2012 and 2013 were questioned about their difficulties of giving presentations, support for better presentations, and barriers to conducting pharmacy practice research in their practical setting. A questionnaire was mailed to and returned by the pharmacists directly. Results: We obtained 230 responses (47.9%). Presentation difficulties included pharmacists’ time constraints and lack of experience organizing the report’s results or discussion. Many thought statistical analysis support was necessary. The barriers were in sufficient time, community pharmacies’ lack of research supervisors, and other community pharmacists’ lack of understanding practice research’s importance. These were comparable to pharmacists’ barriers in other countries, except for money and funds. Conclusions: Japanese community pharmacists should clarify that practice research in their professional roles improves patients’ outcomes. Barriers were similar to pharmacists in other countries. Publication of pharmacists’ practice research results is important to expand their roles. Collaboration between faculties and pharmacists is a challenge for practice research development in the Japanese community setting.

Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge, Practices and Perceptions on Antibiotic Use and Resistance: A Cross-Sectional, Self-Administered Questionnaire Survey, in Guediawaye and Pikine, Senegal

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a threat to global health. Community pharmacists are among the most accessible health professionals. Therefore, their role in improving antibiotic use and subsequently in fighting resistance is crucial. The objective of this study was to evaluate community pharmacists’ knowledge, practices and perceptions on antibiotic use and resistance. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in community pharmacies located in the departments of Guediawaye and Pikine, Senegal. The study took place between November 2017 and February 2018. A total of 121 community pharmacies were located. In each of them, we planned to include one pharmacist. A self-administered questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed using Epi Info 7. The analysis was descriptive. Variables were expressed as number (n) and percentage (%). Results: The response rate was 75.2%. The majority mistakenly thought that antibiotics are always effective against sore throat (64.8%), bronchitis (51.6%), paronychia (72.5%) and dental caries (65.9%). Most respondents knew that self-medication (96.7%), poor treatment compliance (94.5%), inappropriate antibiotic dispensing (79.1%), inappropriate antibiotic prescribing (85.7%) were causes of resistance. Further, causes such as poor hand hygiene and lack of immunization were cited by 9.9% and 6.6% of participants. Moreover, 25.2% knew that third-generation cephalosporins, macrolides and quinolones are critically important antibiotics. In addition, 96.7% and 90.2% said to dispense antibiotics without a prescription and to contact prescribers in case of doubt about the reliability of an antibiotic prescription, respectively. The majority was of the opinion that some antibiotic prescriptions were inadequate (29.7%) and that the consumption of antibiotics was high (92.3%). Conclusion: This study showed a lack of knowledge among community pharmacists practicing in Guediawaye and Pikine towards antibiotic use and resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to sensitize them. Further studies should be conducted to better understand the beliefs and behavior of community pharmacists regarding antibiotic use and resistance.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (K.A.P) of Pharmacy Pharmacists of the Department of Dakar in the Care of Diabetics

Aim: To evaluate the attitude practice and knowledge of pharmacists in the management of diabetes in the department of Dakar. Methodology: Cross-sectional study, conducted from 01 March to 30 September 2017 including all pharmacists in the Dakar region who agreed to participate in the survey. Data was collected through a pre-established questionnaire. Results: A total of 144 pharmacists were included in the study, representing a participation rate of 87.58%. The average age was 33.90 years, with a sex ratio of 1.69. Pharmacists were single in 50.88% of cases, and a minimum experience of 5 years was found in 64.03% of cases. Pharmacist assistants accounted for 57.9% of our study population. The assessment of knowledge based on 16 items shows an average score of 9.02. The level of knowledge was low to insufficient in 37.21% of cases, average in (50%) half of cases and good for (13.16%). Less than half (34.21%) of pharmacists had received training and the average date of last training was 33.76 ± 24.6 months. Training was provided by medical representatives and academics in 66.66% and 26.67% respectively. The most felt positive feelings were respectively the need for help, the compassion in respectively 98.42%, 42.11%. Feelings felt and simultaneously cited were: need for help and compassion in more than 40% of respondents. Only 29% of pharmacists did not have a lot of difficulty with patient questions and the only reason was the lack of awareness (84.68%) of patients about their disease. Screening for diabetes by capillary blood glucose was performed by 57% of pharmacists. Dietary advice (76.15%) and referral to the hospital (94.41%) were the most common practices in case of blood sugar disruption. The dialogue with patients was impossible in 22.81% of pharmacists and the main reasons given were lack of time (53.85%) and lack of knowledge (34.62%). The method of delivery of insulin was done on: medical prescription (98.25%), presentation of the box (69.30%), on request of the patient (54.39%). Only one pharmacist recognized advising insulin (0.88%). The delivery of oral antidiabetic agents was: on medical prescription (96.49%), presentation of the box (67.54%), at the request of the patient (52.63%). The good level of knowledge was more found in the subjects after 40 years (p = 0.69), the female sex (p = 0.84), the assistants and holders (p = 0.24), after 5 years of professional experience (p = 0.13). Conclusion: Despite the lack of knowledge of pharmacists, attitudes and practices are considered satisfactory in the management of diabetics. Continuing medical education sessions could strengthen knowledge and consolidate the attitudes and practices of community pharmacists.

The Pharmacists Attributes in Advising Patients in Independently Owned Maltese Pharmacies

Objectives: To determine the influence of pharmacists on customers who have to decide between Over the Counter products in independently owned Maltese pharmacies. Methods: 20 managing pharmacists in independently owned Maltese pharmacies were interviewed. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data were coded. The main categories and subcategories were extracted and interrelated by using the grounded theory of action approach. Key findings Pharmacists dedicate time to ensure the right OTC is received by their patients. Before recommending an OTC medication the pharmacists ask key questions, which help them determine if an OTC is appropriate for the patient. The Maltese pharmacists engage their patients in a discussion before recommending an OTC product. In order to ensure that the patients are following their advice, pharmacists use different techniques. Whenever the patient might want to purchase an OTC, which could interfere with their medication regimen or might not be appropriate from the age point of view, then pharmacist intervenes accordingly. Each pharmacist offered specific examples how they convince their patients to purchase the correct medication. The pharmacists provided specific examples how they decide to select a specific OTC medicine and what type of questions were asked before taking a decision. In order to ensure their patients have the best access to the health care, many pharmacists embraced other roles and services, such as measuring and monitoring the blood pressure and glucose levels, determining the correct weight management product. Conclusions: The analyzed data highlight that Maltese community pharmacists play an important role in counseling patients on their choice of OTC products. The analysis has also identified some useful counseling techniques, which has been used by pharmacists for prescription medications. However, the Maltese pharmacists use these counseling techniques on a larger scale. It seems likely that many pharmacists are embracing more additional roles to ensure their population receives the best clinical services. Before dispensing an OTC medication, pharmacists use their clinical knowledge.

The Emerging Importance of Professional Liability Insurance Coverage for Pharmacists

As the responsibilities for clinical pharmacists have increased in recent years, the pharmacy practitioner finds the need for professional liability insurance. This report describes the practice changes under way and describes the malpractice insurance options available to current pharmacy practitioners.

Japanese Community Pharmacists’ Practice Research Literacy

Objectives: Lack of basic practice research literacy could be considered a barrier to conducting or participating in practice research. Therefore, we examined pharmacy practice research literacy in Japanese community pharmacists. Methods: Community pharmacists (n = 478) who delivered presentations at three major pharmacy-related conferences in 2012 and 2013 completed the survey. We selected 10 key terms related to practice research and asked participants whether they knew the meaning of. Questionnaires were sent to and returned by pharmacists via mail. Results: Of the 478 pharmacists who received questionnaires, 230 (47.9%) completed the survey. The response rates indicating that participants were familiar with the 10 key terms were approximately 50% or lower. The highest response rate was 67.0% for “bias”, and the lowest was 17.0% for “PICO/PECO: Patient-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome/Patient-Exposure-Comparison-Outcome”. Younger pharmacists tended to know several key terms, such as “p values”, “bias”, and “outcome”. Conclusion: Japanese community pharmacists were not knowledgeable with respect to conducting and participating in pharmacy practice research. Practice research knowledge was superior in younger pharmacists. Education in pharmacy schools and continuing professional development programs is important for community pharmacists’ practice research development.

Evaluation of retail pharmacists’’ perception on patient safety

Patient safety has become a focus of clinical care and research in recent years. However, the potential for medical care to cause harm has been appreciated throughout the history of medicine (1)The safety culture of an organization is the product of individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behavior that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organization’s health and safety management.

Self-Medication Practice among Pharmacists in UAE

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of self-medication behavior among practicing pharmacists in UAE. Methods: This anonymous questionnaire-based study was conducted between October and December 2014, using a prepiloted questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 168 pharmacists. Data were analyzed using SPSS and results were expressed as number of respondents and percentage of total participants. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 149 pharmacists, and response rate was 89% with 53% of respondents being Arabs. Out of the 149 pharmacists respondents, 71 (47.7%) are males, and 78 (52.3%) are females. The mean age among pharmacists was 28. Large number of pharmacists practiced self-medication (96.6%). The majority obtained their medication from pharmacies (92.6%). Most respondents were aware of bacterial resistance and the concept of rational drug use. However, 69 (43%) of pharmacists had used antibiotics without consultation in the past year. The main reasons for self-medication were that their health problem is not serious (42%) and their knowledge on drugs and diseases helps (31%). Reasons against self-medication included risk of misdiagnosis of illness and risk of adverse effects. Pharmacists tended to seek medical consultation mostly in case of symptoms lasting for more than one week or when symptoms were worsening. Discussion: The frequency of self-medication among pharmacists is high. The professional exposure to drugs and knowledge of illness and treatment choice remains the fundamental contributors to self-medication practice among pharmacists. Interventions to promote rational self-medication among practicing pharmacists are required and pharmacists must be encouraged to enter the patient role.

Analysis on the Problems of Rational Drug Use Carrying Out by Hospital Pharmacists in China

Pharmacists are the implementers of clinical drug management, and they play an irreplaceable role in promoting the improvement of rational drug use. However, the current role of pharmacists in the supervision and protection of rational drug use has not been fully exerted. This article is aimed to investigate the current situation of pharmacists’ work of rational drug use from the perspectives of pharmacists, physicians, and patients. It is found that the professional value of pharmacists in the rational drug use has not been valued by medical institutions, physicians, and patients. Pharmacists face problems such as workload, working conditions, and doctor-patient cooperation in the rational drug use. Suggestions are made for further exerting the professional value of pharmacists in promoting the level of rational drug use. Relevant managers should pay full attention to the professional value of pharmacists, and provide corresponding system and facility guarantees for pharmacists to carry out rational drug use.