Extending the role of the dispensing pharmacist

The International Pharmaceutical Forum (FPI) is an annual meeting for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to discuss issues relating to the development of the pharmaceutical sector. The meeting is organized under the aegis of the Inter-Order of Pharmacists of Africa (IOPA), the Intersyndical of Pharmacists of Africa (ISPHARMA), the Association of Pharmacy and Drug Directorates (DPM), and the Association of Central Purchasing Agencies for Essential Medicines (ACAME). Launched by the African Council of Ministers of Health in Yaoundé in 1999, the first edition of the Pharmaceutical Forum was held in Benin in 2000. This year, Togo is hosting the 23ᵉ edition of the FPI, whose main theme is: ”Universal access to healthcare: challenges, issues and prospects for the pharmaceutical sector”. During this forum, which will be held from July 3 to 6, 2024, sub-themes will be discussed including, the extension of the missions of the dispensing pharmacist. This sub-theme will enable us to discuss the new missions assigned to the dispensing pharmacist and the challenges he (she) will face.

Background and rationale

Although a healthcare professional, the dispensing pharmacist is a private practitioner. He is the guarantor of the drug. As such, they must be involved at all stages of the medication circuit. In the medical field, by virtue of their training, they play a key role in the prevention, monitoring and management of certain diseases. According to the Code of Ethics, all pharmacies (private or public) must be run by pharmacists. This obligation makes the pharmacist a local professional. The SARS-Cov 2 pandemic highlighted the expertise of European dispensing pharmacists in performing rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and administering SARS-Cov2 vaccines. As a result, the role of the dispensing pharmacist, which in the past was to dispense and deliver medicines, is changing radically. Indeed, the proximity of pharmacists to patients, combined in some regions with a shortage of healthcare professionals, is leading them to broaden their mission to include prevention and support for patients, facilitating their access to care.

Objectives

General objectives

Take stock of the likely new missions of dispensing pharmacists.

Specific objectives

  • List the new missions of dispensing pharmacists;
  • Report on the regulatory framework that may define these new missions;
  • Set out recommendations for the implementation of these new missions for dispensing pharmacists;
  • Share the experiences of advanced countries on the new missions of pharmacists.

Methodology

This topic will be discussed at a conference. The chosen speaker will tell us about the aim and interests of extending the missions of dispensing pharmacists by highlighting his country’s experience. After this lecture, a debate will be opened in order to discuss and share country experiences.

Results

At the end of the presentations on this topic :

  • pharmacists will be made aware of their new missions
  • A plea to decision-makers to take account of the extension of the new missions of the dispensing pharmacist in the national health development policies of our countries will be drawn up;
  • Recommendations and guidelines to be followed for a perfect extension of the new missions of the dispensing pharmacist will be published.