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Pharmacy practitioners attitudes on traditional and complementary medicines : a portuguese perspective
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
A Medicina Tradicional e Complementar (MTC) é há muito utilizada no tratamento e
prevenção de doenças, sendo um recurso de saúde importante mas frequentemente
subestimado. Considerando que os farmacêuticos desempenham um papel essencial no
aconselhamento dos utentes, devem estar preparados para ajudar os consumidores como
fonte de informação fiável na tomada de decisões informadas relativas aos produtos de
MTC, tal como o são para os medicamentos convencionais.
O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar e definir o papel profissional dos
farmacêuticos na MTC, particularmente na prática comunitária, e compreender o que
pensam os farmacêuticos portugueses sobre as suas responsabilidades relativamente a
esta matéria, assim como as ações necessárias para a sua incorporação na prática diária.
Este estudo seguiu o delineamento descritivo de inquérito transversal, mediante um
questionário online baseado na Internet para recolher dados das opiniões dos
farmacêuticos comunitários sobre os produtos de MTC disponíveis em Portugal. O
número de respostas recebidas foi de 114, correspondendo 96 questionários válidos a uma
taxa de resposta de 3,3%.
Com base em estudos anteriores, foram identificadas 14 responsabilidades, incluindo a
assunção de um papel ativo na monitorização do uso, os efeitos secundários, o
aconselhamento em produtos de MTC, a comunicação com outros profissionais de saúde
e a necessidade de formação adicional. As medidas necessárias para incorporar os
produtos de MTC na prática farmacêutica incluíram as relacionadas com as competências,
nomeadamente educação e formação, definição de responsabilidades profissionais e
normas de prática e acesso a informações baseadas em evidência. Foram também
consideradas importantes medidas como melhorias nas normas regulamentares para
produtos MTC ou investigação não tendenciosa. Foram ainda identificadas opiniões sobre
a contratação de profissionais credenciados em MTC.
Apesar dos desafios colocados pela MTC, os farmacêuticos têm um papel insubstituível
na dispensa e aconselhamento destes produtos. Embora as barreiras identificadas sejam
complexas e impliquem o envolvimento de várias partes interessadas, a integração dos
produtos de MTC na prática farmacêutica sempre existiu e certamente aumentará no
futuro.
Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) has been used for a long time to treat and prevent diseases, being an important and often underestimated health resource. Knowing pharmacists play an essential role in helping customers make informed decisions, these practitioners should be prepared to help consumers as a source of reliable information for TCM products, as they are for conventional medicines. This work aimed to define and support a professional role for pharmacists in TCM, particularly in community practice, and to understand what Portuguese pharmacists think about their responsibilities regarding TCM products and the actions needed to incorporate them into daily practice. This study followed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. An online web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from community pharmacists’ opinions on TCM products available in Portugal. The number of received replies was 114, with 96 valid questionnaires corresponding to a response rate of 3.3%. Based on previous studies, we identified 14 perceived responsibilities that included active monitoring use, side effects, providing advice for TCM products, communicating with other health professionals, and the need for additional training. Improvement measures needed for incorporating TCM products in pharmaceutical practice included competence-related measures, namely education and training, the definition of professional responsibilities and practice standards, and access to evidence based information. Also, measures like improvements in regulatory standards for TCM products or non-biased research were considered significant. Opposing opinions about employing accredited TCM practitioners within the pharmacy were identified. Changes are needed regarding the definition of professional responsibilities, education and training, research and development, and regulatory standards. Despite the challenges that pharmacists may find in dealing with TCM, they have an irreplaceable role in selling and advising these products. Although the barriers identified are complex and imply the involvement of several key stakeholders, the integration of TCM products in pharmaceutical practice has always existed and will undoubtedly increase in the future.
Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) has been used for a long time to treat and prevent diseases, being an important and often underestimated health resource. Knowing pharmacists play an essential role in helping customers make informed decisions, these practitioners should be prepared to help consumers as a source of reliable information for TCM products, as they are for conventional medicines. This work aimed to define and support a professional role for pharmacists in TCM, particularly in community practice, and to understand what Portuguese pharmacists think about their responsibilities regarding TCM products and the actions needed to incorporate them into daily practice. This study followed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. An online web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from community pharmacists’ opinions on TCM products available in Portugal. The number of received replies was 114, with 96 valid questionnaires corresponding to a response rate of 3.3%. Based on previous studies, we identified 14 perceived responsibilities that included active monitoring use, side effects, providing advice for TCM products, communicating with other health professionals, and the need for additional training. Improvement measures needed for incorporating TCM products in pharmaceutical practice included competence-related measures, namely education and training, the definition of professional responsibilities and practice standards, and access to evidence based information. Also, measures like improvements in regulatory standards for TCM products or non-biased research were considered significant. Opposing opinions about employing accredited TCM practitioners within the pharmacy were identified. Changes are needed regarding the definition of professional responsibilities, education and training, research and development, and regulatory standards. Despite the challenges that pharmacists may find in dealing with TCM, they have an irreplaceable role in selling and advising these products. Although the barriers identified are complex and imply the involvement of several key stakeholders, the integration of TCM products in pharmaceutical practice has always existed and will undoubtedly increase in the future.
Descrição
Trabalho Final de Mestrado Integrado, Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2023, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia
Palavras-chave
Pharmacist Dietary supplement Herbal medicines Complementary and alternative medicine, traditional and complementary medicine Mestrado Integrado - 2023