RESUMO
Background: In many European countries, flu vaccination coverage rates are below the 75% target. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many pharmacists around Europe were involved as vaccine administrators and demonstrated positive results in improving vaccine uptake. This paper explores the challenges, accomplishments, and best practices of various European pharmacists' associations in administering vaccines and positively contributing to public health. Methods: Eight pharmacists representing various associations from different countries across Europe (Italy, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, France, and Germany) convened to discuss their role as vaccination providers, the advantages, and strategies for improvement, and to identify barriers and gaps in the vaccination administration process, especially focusing on the administration of seasonal flu vaccines. Results: Currently, 15 European countries allow community pharmacists to dispense and administer flu vaccines. Among the ones that attended the meeting, Portugal initiated the flu immunization program at the pharmacy earliest, before the COVID era, but in other countries, the process started only in the last couple of years. Initial hesitancy and reluctance by other HCPs or institutions were overcome as the pilot projects showed positive and cost-effective public health results. Today, pharmacists are considered crucial professional figures to provide immunization services against COVID-19, the flu, and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and pursue important public health goals.Key takeaways to enhance the pharmacist's role in providing immunization services against vaccine-preventable diseases include improving interaction with policymakers and the public, generating real-world evidence highlighting public health benefits, and ensuring ongoing professional education and training for pharmacists. Conclusion: Vaccinating pharmacists are gaining recognition of their role and the benefits derived from their broader involvement in the healthcare system, including immunization programs. Further efforts are needed in each country for an adequate recognition of the profession and a broader utilization of pharmacy services to exploit the benefit of immunization, especially against the flu.
RESUMO
O surto de pneumonia provocado por uma nova espécie de coronavírus no final de 2019, em Wuhan (China) originou uma pandemia com a infeção de mais de 200 milhões de pessoas infetadas e cerca de 4,5 milhões de mortes em todo o mundo e que continuam a aumentar. Apesar do pouco tempo volvido (menos de dois anos), muitos progressos têm vindo a ser conseguidos na gestão da doença e dos doentes e no desenvolvimento de vacinas e outros medicamentos para prevenção e tratamento da COVID-19, associados a diversos desafios éticos. Muitos medicamentos aprovados para outras indicações terapêuticas foram usados fora das indicações formalmente aprovadas, levantando questões relativamente à validade dos resultados e à observância de princípios éticos fundamentais. A Organização Mundial de Saúde tomou uma posição clara sobre utilização de medicamentos sem evidência suficiente em doentes COVID-19 e promoveu a realização de ensaios clínicos randomizados. Atualmente estão registados mais de 6 mil estudos clínicos com o objetivo de estudar diferentes abordagens terapêuticas para a COVID-19. Ao mesmo tempo, foram desenvolvidas e aprovadas as primeiras vacinas contra a COVID-19, seguras e eficazes. As vacinas e o processo de vacinação também têm levantado questões com uma componente ética importante. Hoje, não é aceitável a experimentação de potenciais terapêuticas fora do contexto de ensaios clínicos, devendo ser fomentada uma estratégia para a descoberta de tratamentos eficazes para a COVID-19. É também fundamental uma discussão, incluindo a dimensão ética, sobre a melhor utilização dessas vacinas tendo em consideração o combate global à pandemia.
The pneumonia outbreak caused by a new speciesof coronavirus at the end of 2019 in Wuhan (China) led to a pandemic with more than 200 million people infected and about 4.5 million deaths worldwide and which continue to increase. Despite the short time elapsed (less than two years), much progress has been made in the management of the disease and patients and in the development of vaccines and other drugs for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, associated with several ethical challenges. Many drugs approved for other therapeutic indications were used outside the formally approved indications, raising questions regarding the validity of results and observance of fundamental ethical principles. The World Health Organization has taken a clear position on the use of drugs without sufficient evidence for COVID-19patients and has promoted the performance of randomized clinical trials. Currently, more than 6,000 clinical studies are registered with the aim of studying different therapeutic approaches for COVID-19. At the same time, the first safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19were developed and approved. Vaccines and the vaccination process have also raised issues with an important ethical component.Today, it is no longer acceptable to experiment with potential therapies outside the context of clinical trials, and a strategy for discovering effective treatments for COVID-19should be promoted. A discussion, including the ethical dimension, about the best use of these vaccines, considering the global fight against the pandemic, is also essential.
El brote de neumonía provocado por una nueva especie de coronavirus a finales de 2019 en Wuhan (China) provocó una pandemia con la infección de más de 200 millones de personas infectadas y alrededor de 4,5 millones de muertes en todo el mundo y que siguen aumentando. A pesar del poco tiempo transcurrido (menos dos años), se ha avanzado mucho en el manejo de la enfermedad y los pacientes y en el desarrollo de vacunas y otros fármacos para la prevención y el tratamiento del COVID-19, asociado a varios desafíos éticos. Muchos fármacos para otras indicaciones terapéuticas se utilizan fuera de las indicaciones aprobadas formalmente, lo que plantea dudas sobre la validez de los resultados y la observancia de los principios éticos fundamentales. La Organización Mundial de la Salud ha tomado una posición clara sobre el uso de medicamentos sin evidencia suficiente para pacientes con COVID-19y ha promovido la realización de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados. Actualmente, se registran más de 6 milestudios clínicos con el objetivo de estudiar diferentes enfoques terapéuticos para COVID-19. Al mismo tiempo, se desarrollaron y aprobaron las primeras vacunas seguras y eficaces contra el COVID-19. Las vacunas y el proceso de vacunación también han planteado problemas con un importante componente ético.Hoy en día, ya no es aceptable experimentar con terapias potenciales fuera del contexto de los ensayos clínicos, y se debe promover una estrategia para descubrir tratamientos efectivos para el COVID-19. También es fundamental un debate, incluida la dimensión ética, sobre el mejor uso de estas vacunas, teniendo en cuenta la lucha mundial contra la pandemia.
RESUMO
The central role of the Portuguese National Health Service (P-NHS) guarantees virtually free universal coverage. Key policy papers, such as the National Health Plan and the National Plan for Patient Safety have implications for pharmacists, including an engagement in medicines reconciliation. These primary health care reform, while not explicitly contemplating a role for pharmacists, offer opportunities for the involvement of primary care pharmacists in medicines management. Primary care pharmacists, who as employees of the P-NHS work closely with an interdisciplinary team, have launched a pilot service to manage polypharmacy in people living with multimorbidities, involving potential referral to community pharmacy. Full integration of community pharmacy into primary health care is challenging due to their nature as private providers, which implies the need for the recognition that public and private health sectors are mutually complementary and may maximize universal health coverage. The scope of practice of community pharmacies has been shifting to service provision, currently supported by law and in some cases, including the needle and syringe exchange program and generic substitution, remunerated. Key changes envisaged for the future of pharmacists and their integration in primary care comprise the development and establishment of clinical pharmacy as a specialization area, peer clinician recognition and better integration in primary care teams, including full access to clinical records. These key changes would enable pharmacists to apply their competence in medicines optimization for improved patient outcomes
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