Telepharmacy and pharmaceutical care: A narrative review by International Pharmaceutical Federation

Digital transformation impacts health care through technology. Telepharmacy is set to become one of the most important aspects of Telemedicine in the years  to come with its ability to provide patients with increased and more timely  access to pharmaceutical care, reduced costs for individuals and health  systems, improved patient satisfaction, experience and convenience, and  better health outcomes. Telepharmacy has gained increasing importance in the delivery of pharmaceutical care, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic which  has placed enormous pressures on healthcare systems globally. There is a  significant amount of published literature from different countries around the  world that provide examples of Telepharmacy. There are some innovative  models of Telepharmacy services aimed at optimizing and improving access to  pharmaceutical care, resulting in improved patient safety and outcomes. The  benefits of Telepharmacy include increased value for pharmacies and  pharmacists and adapting to patients´ needs, enhanced interprofessional care  and increased efficiency of health systems and increased provision of patient- centred services, among others. However, despite these benefits, major  barriers for implementation of Telepharmacy remain such as patient  confidentiality and privacy of health information. These barriers to the  implementation of Telepharmacy have been identified and can be divided into  four different environments: technological, organizational, human and  economic. Delivering pharmaceutical care and services through digital media is identified as a key priority for the International Pharmaceutical Federation. Digital health is one of the 21 Development Goals launched by International Pharmaceutical Federation in 2020. The International Pharmaceutical Federation Digital Health in Pharmacy Education report in 2021, describes the  readiness, adaptability and responsiveness of pharmacy education and  knowledge and skill needs of pharmaceutical workforce on digital health.  Amongst other digital health tools, telehealth/Telepharmacy has been reported  as one of the most preferred tools to teach and learn about by respondents.

Pharmacists' involvement in COVID-19 vaccination across Europe: a situational analysis of current practice and policy

One year since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid response measures have been implemented internationally to mitigate the spread of the virus. Following rapid and successful pre-clinical and human trials, several vaccines have been authorised for use across Europe through the European Medicines Agency and national regulatory authorities. Clinical trials have shown promising results including important reductions in disease severity, hospitalisation and mortality. In order to maximise the public health benefit of available vaccines, there is a pressing need to vaccinate a large proportion of the population. Internationally, this has prompted coordination of existing services at enormous scale, and development and implementation of novel vaccination strategies to ensure maximum inoculation over the shortest possible timeframe. Pharmacists are being promoted as healthcare professionals that enhance roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination programmes. This paper aims to summarise current policy and practice in relation to pharmacists’ involvement in COVID-19 vaccination in 13 countries across Europe.