AUTHOR=Harnett Joanna E. , Desselle Shane P. , Fernandes Marcília Baticy , Yao Dongning , Modun Darko , Hallit Souheil , Dabbous Mariam , Wahab Mohd Shahezwan Abd , Cavaco Afonso Miguel , Magalhães Maria , Faller Erwin Martinez , Flores Jennifer M. , Gabriel Jacklyn Risia D. San , Othman Noordin , Anantachoti Puree , Sriboonruang Tatta , Sriviriyanupap Wanna , Alnezary Faris , Alahmadi Yaser , Fallatah Saad Bakur , Fadil Haifa Abdulrahman , Ung Carolina Oi Lam
TITLE=Defining and supporting a professional role for pharmacists associated with traditional and complementary medicines: a cross-country survey of pharmacists
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology
VOLUME=14
YEAR=2023
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1215475
DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1215475
ISSN=1663-9812
ABSTRACT=Introduction: An estimated 80% of the world’s population use traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) products as part of their healthcare, with many accessed through pharmacy. This cross-cultural study posed a set of professional practice responsibilities and actions to pharmacists related to T&CM products, with a view toward developing consensus, safeguarding, and promoting the health of the public.
Methods: Data were collected from 2,810 pharmacists across nine countries during 2022 via a cross-sectional online survey reported in accordance with the guidelines of STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) and the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES).
Results: Of the 2,810 participants from nine countries, 2,341 completed all sections of the survey. Of these, most agreed (69%) that T&CM product use was common in the community they served, but most did not have adequate training to support consumer needs. Over 75% acknowledged that there were known and unknown safety risks associated with T&CM use. Of 18 professional responsibilities posed, 92% agreed that pharmacists should be able to inform consumers about potential risks, including T&CM side effects and drug–herb interactions. The provision of accurate scientific information on the effectiveness of T&CM products, skills to guide consumers in making informed decisions, and communication with other healthcare professionals to support appropriate and safe T&CM product use were all ranked with high levels of agreement. In order to effectively fulfill these responsibilities, pharmacists agreed that regulatory reforms, development of T&CM education and training, and access to quality products supported by high-quality evidence were needed.
Conclusion: General agreement from across nine countries on eighteen professional responsibilities and several stakeholder actions serve as a foundation for the discussion and development of international T&CM guidelines for pharmacists.