Evaluation of healthcare professionals' understanding of fluoroquinolones' safety profile, usage, and boxed warnings in Pakistan
Conclusion Findings of this study reveals the unsatisfactory knowledge of HCPs regarding the safety profile, use, and BW of FQs putting patients at heightened risks of FQs associated AEs. Therefore, it is crucial to implement a national antimicrobial stewardship program, seminars and lectures aimed at contin uously updating the knowledge of HCPs, regardless of their specialties, and effectively restrict the misuse of antimicrobial and disseminate FDA BWs in clinical practice. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 27, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Deprescribing, shared decision-making, and older people: perspectives in primary care
AbstractPolypharmacy is an issue that affects many people, especially older adults, and could result in negative outcomes such as lower medication adherence and an increase in the likelihood of adverse drug reactions. Deprescribing is a possible solution to mitigating this issue. Examining polypharmacy and deprescribing in primary care settings is important as it could help older adults living in the community and their relatives by lowering their treatment burden and medication cost. Some guidelines have been developed to help with the deprescribing process; however, these guidelines are not applicable to all patients and...
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 27, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

mRNA vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective review from the perspective of the Swiss affiliate of a global biopharmaceutical company
AbstractThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been the defining public health emergency of our time. In Switzerland, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines were and still are  widely utilized as a critical component of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)’s preventative mitigation strategy. The development, conditional approval and worldwide roll-out of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 proceeded at an unprecedented pace and presented myriad challenges for manufact urers. In this review, we discuss, from the perspective of the Swiss affiliate of a global biopharmaceutical company, the clinical, regulatory, phar...
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 27, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Rising pharmaceutical innovation in the Global South: a landscape study
ConclusionsBy triangulating between the data sources, it was possible to paint a broad picture of who was involved in pharmaceutical R&D in LMICs, in which particular countries, for which diseases, in which R&D phases, and with what results —as well as how these trends have changed over time. Prioritizing pharmaceutical R&D is an important strategy for better meeting health needs. The trendlines are promising, but focused attention is still needed to realize the potential for greater innovation in the Global South. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 27, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Community pharmacists ’ views about prescription medicine co-payments and potential implications for equitable access to medicines: a critical realist interpretation
ConclusionsThis study is exploratory; however, its examination of the policy of prescription medicine co-payments from the perspective of community pharmacists, who play a vital role in both dispensing medicines and collecting prescription medicine co-payments, is novel. Despite prescription medicine co-payments being a routine part of pharmacists ’ role in many countries, it is a topic where there is limited published peer-reviewed literature. The study adds to existing evidence that funding models influence community pharmacists’ role. In addition, this study identified value judgements about service users in relatio...
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 27, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Pharmacy professionals ’ perceptions of their professional duties in the Ethiopian health care system: a mixed methods study
ConclusionPharmacy professionals ’ roles were found to be influenced by a lack of physical access, poor initiatives, poor communication skills, and poor administrator support. Pharmaceutical care requires everyone’s involvement in addressing these factors for successful performance and a better outcome and in considering percei ved facilitators and barriers. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 21, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Performance of Jazia Prime Vendor System in ensuring availability of health commodities in Singida Region, Tanzania: a pre- and post-evaluation study
ConclusionWith Jazia PVS, availability of health commodities improved by 4.78% in 2 years. Prompt payment of Jazia PVS will enhance performance of the vendor. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 20, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Does tocilizumab have an effect on the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients? A meta-analysis of randomized control trials
ConclusionThe administration of tocilizumab during the COVID-19 pandemic, prescribed to patients with the virus, exerted a noteworthy impact on reducing outcomes associated with COVID-19. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 20, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Safety profile of herbal medicines submitted for marketing authorization in Tanzania: a cross-sectional retrospective study
ConclusionAnalysis of the herbal medicine dossiers submitted showed major deficiencies of safety data to support MA. Manufactures need to provide evidence to support the safety of their products for evidence-based regulatory decisions and to avoid multiple reviews of the applications. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 20, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Medication error and associated factors among adults admitted to emergency ward at the university of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, North-West Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study, 2022
ConclusionsAbout three-fourths of adult patients admitted to the emergency ward experienced medication errors. A considerable amount of medication errors were potentially moderately harmful. Most medication errors were due to behavioral factors. Most clinical pharmacists ’ interventions were accepted by physicians and nurses. Patients who stayed longer at the emergency ward, had a Charlson comorbidity index value of ≥ 3, and were on polypharmacy were at high risk of medication error. The hospital should strive to reduce medication errors at the emergency war d. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 17, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Antimicrobial stewardship in private pharmacies in Wakiso district, Uganda: a qualitative study
ConclusionThere was poor knowledge of AMR and AMS, and limited AMS practices in private pharmacies. Private pharmacies have the potential to contribute to Uganda ’s fight against AMR if motivated and equipped with adequate knowledge to enhance their practices related to AMS. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 17, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Thinking outside of the [cold] box: implementing a human-centered design approach to understand barriers and craft solutions to cold chain equipment maintenance in Niger
This study took a unique HCD approach to engage people directly involved in CCE maintenance to more deeply understand challenges with the current system and create space to identify innovative solutions that are tailored to the context. The results demonstrate that stakeholders can identify potential solutions that have not been part of the typical approaches to a maintenance system. This HCD approach has implications for all global health challenges and demonstrates a methodology that can encourage key stakeholders to think about problems and solutions differently. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 16, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Assessment of vaccine management performance in health facilities of Mwanza Region, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study
ConclusionsEffective vaccine management performance was low across all districts under the study. Increasing personnel capacity and ensuring availability of resources to support operations were reported as key interventions in improving vaccine management practices. Hence, effectively working on continuous improvement plan with key highlighted actions is highly recommended to all actors from national level to sub-national level managers and healthcare workers as frontline vaccine handlers. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 15, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Factors affecting the availability of tracer health commodities in public facilities at Tana River County, Kenya
ConclusionThere was moderate availability of tracer commodities which was influenced by training, personnel, level of the facility, and budget allocation on time. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 15, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research

Assessing the severity of medication administration errors identified in an observational study using a valid and reliable method
ConclusionsMost of the errors were considered as potentially moderated by the expert panel; however, the frequency of potentially serious errors was higher than that in previous studies using the same methodology, which highlights the need for strategies to reduce their occurrence. (Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice)
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - November 14, 2023 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: research