Current perceptions of the term Clinical Pharmacy and its relationship to Pharmaceutical Care:a survey of members of the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy

Background The definitions that are being used for the terms 'clinical pharmacy' and 'pharmaceutical care' seem to have a certain overlap. Responsibility for therapy outcomes seems to be especially linked to the latter term. Both terms need clarification before a proper definition of clinical pharmacy can be drafted. Objective To identify current disagreements regarding the term 'Clinical Pharmacy' and its relationship to 'Pharmaceutical Care' and to assess to which extent pharmacists with an interest in Clinical Pharmacy are willing to accept responsibility for drug therapy outcomes. Setting The membership of the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy. Methods A total of 1,285 individuals affiliated with the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy were invited by email to participate in an online survey asking participants to state whether certain professional activities, providers, settings, aims and general descriptors constituted (a) 'Clinical Pharmacy only', (b) 'Pharmaceutical Care only', (c) 'both' or (d) 'neither'. Further questions examined pharmacists' willingness to accept ethical or legal responsibility for drug therapy outcomes, under current and ideal working conditions. Main outcome measures Level of agreement with a number of statements. Results There was disagreement (&lt;80% agreement among all participants) regarding 'Clinical Pharmacy' activities, whether non-pharmacists could provide 'Clinical Pharmacy' services, and whether such services could be provided in non-hospital settings. There was disagreement (&lt;80% agreement among those linking items to Clinical Pharmacy) as to whether Pharmaceutical care also encompassed certain professional activities, constituted a scientific discipline and targeted cost effectiveness. The proportions of participants willing to accept legal responsibility under current/ideal working conditions were: safety (32.7%/64.3%), effectiveness (17.9%/49.2%), patient-centeredness (17.1%/46.2%), cost-effectiveness (20.3%/44.0%). Conclusions The survey identified key disagreements around the term 'Clinical Pharmacy' and its relationship to 'Pharmaceutical Care', which future discussions around a harmonised definition of 'Clinical Pharmacy' should aim to resolve. Further research is required to understand barriers and facilitators to pharmacists accepting responsibility for drug therapy outcomes.</p

Inconclusiveness of psychometric testing of medication adherence questionnaires.

PURPOSE: To propose a paradigm change for the validation procedures of medication adherence questionnaires. METHODS: A total of 121 validation procedures of unique questionnaires for medication adherence were analyzed. RESULTS: "Construct validity" and "internal consistency" were most often assessed, and test results varied largely. A more in-depth analysis indicated that the assessment of medication non-adherence included distinct but related constructs, such as the extent to which doses are missed, and the attempt to identify different facets of medication-taking behavior. Consequently, each construct requires a different measurement approach with different psychometric tests for establishing its validity and reliability. CONCLUSION: Results show that assessing the validity and reliability of adherence questionnaires with standard procedures including statistical tests is inconclusive. Refinement of the constructs of non-adherence is needed in pharmacy and medical practice. We suggest a distinction between the (i) extent of missed doses over the past 2 weeks, (ii) modifiable reasons for non-adherence behavior, and (iii) unmodifiable factors of non-adherence. Validation procedures and corresponding statistical methods should be selected according to the specific single constructs

The Prevalence of Potential Drug-Drug-Gene Interactions: A Descriptive Study Using Swiss Claims Data

Nina L Wittwer,1,2 Christoph R Meier,1– 3 Carola A Huber,4 Julie D Moser,1 Henriette E Meyer zu Schwabedissen,5 Samuel S Allemann,6,&amp;ast; Cornelia Schneider1,2,&amp;ast; 1Basel Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Division of Clinical Pharmacy and Epidemiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 2Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 3Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Lexington, MA, USA; 4Department of Health Sciences, Helsana Group, Zürich, Switzerland; 5Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 6Pharmaceutical Care, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland&amp;ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Samuel S Allemann, Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, University of Basel Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Klingelbergstrasse 504056 Basel, Switzerland, Email [email protected]: We aimed to determine the prevalence of interactions between PGx drugs metabolized by CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP2D6 and drugs that act as inhibitors or inducers of those enzymes in the Swiss population.Patients and Methods: We defined concomitant use of PGx drugs and inhibitors/inducers as instances where a claim of a PGx drug and a claim of an inducer or inhibitor concerning the same enzyme were made within a specified temporal window, either ± 5 days or ± 30 days. We assessed concomitant drug use between 2017 and 2021, using claims data from a Swiss insurance company (Helsana).Results: Out of 894,748 individuals continuously insured, between 17.4% (± 5-days window) and 24.8% (± 30-days window) were exposed to potentially interacting drug pairs, with 1.5% to 2.2% being exposed to potentially strong interacting drug pairs. Individuals exposed to potentially interacting drugs were more frequently female, older and took a greater number of drugs than the general population. The majority of potential interactions were associated with CYP2D6 or CYP2C19.Conclusion: In light of the high prevalence of the simultaneous use of PGx drugs with inhibitor and inducer drugs, it is imperative to consider non-genetic factors, such as drug-induced phenoconversions, when interpreting PGx test results.Keywords: drug-drug interaction, drug-drug-gene interaction, phenoconversio

Patient views on an electronic dispensing device for prepackaged polypharmacy: a qualitative assessment in an ambulatory setting

Samuel S Allemann, Kurt E Hersberger, Isabelle ArnetPharmaceutical Care Research Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandObjective: To collect opinions on medication management aids (MMAs) in general and on an electronic MMA (e-MMA) dispensing prepackaged polypharmacy in sealed pouches.Study setting: The setting involved community-dwelling older adults in Basel, Switzerland, in 2013.Study design: The study involved 1) a 14-day trial with the e-MMA and 2) a focus group to identify general attributes of MMAs, their applicability to the e-MMA, and possible target groups for the e-MMA.Data collection methods: Six participants using long-term polypharmacy and willing to try new technologies completed the 14-day trial and participated in the focus group. Inductive content analysis was performed to extract data.Principal findings: Participants rated ten of 17 general attributes as clearly applicable to the e-MMA and five as unsuitable. Attributes pertained to three interrelating themes: product design, patient support, and living conditions. Envisaged target groups were patients with time-sensitive medication regimens, patients with dementia, the visually impaired, and several patients living together to prevent accidental intake of the wrong medication.Conclusion: The evaluated e-MMA for prepackaged polypharmacy met the majority of the requirements set for an MMA. Patients&#39; living conditions, such as mobility, remain the key determinants for acceptance of an e-MMA.Keywords: pharmaceutical care, medication adherence, medication management aids, automated drug dispensin