Perspectives of People Living With Type 2 Diabetes About Physical Activity Promotion: Can Community Pharmacies be Part of the Solution?

Rationale: People living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) benefit from regular physical activity (PA) to reduce cardiovascular risk and better manage comorbidities. Pharmacists can provide support to increase physical activity by leveraging the regular interactions on their daily community pharmacy practice.

Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of people living T2D about their engagement in PA using pharmacies as the subject of interest to collect this information.

The role of community pharmacists and pharmacies in physical activity promotion: an interdisciplinary e-Delphi study.

Background: Physical activity has a key role in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Community pharmacists are an accessible source to provide brief advice to people on how to be more physically active. Nonetheless, there is a limited understanding of stakeholders' perspectives on their role in promoting physical activity, to inform policy and practice.

Implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services in prison in six European countries: translating emergency intervention into routine life-course vaccination.

Background: Evidence has shown that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is much higher in prisons than in the community. The release of the COVID-19 vaccine and the recommendation by WHO to include prisons among priority settings have led to the inclusion of prisons in national COVID-19 vaccination strategies. Evidence on prison health and healthcare services provision is limited and often focuses on a single country or institution due to the multiple challenges of conducting research in prison settings.

Real-world effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors and fulvestrant in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer: a snapshot of the last two years before conventional use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors in a Portuguese institution.

Background: Monotherapy with aromatase inhibitors and fulvestrant were the standard-of-care for hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-type2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer, before integration of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors. Effectiveness data is essential for regulatory action, but little is known about real-world use of aromatase inhibitors and fulvestrant.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted resorting to data from a cancer registry to identify adult women with HR+/HER- advanced breast cancer exposed to aromatase inhibitors or fulvestrant (31 May 2017-31 March 2019) at the main oncology hospital in Portugal.

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.

Awareness about barriers to medication adherence in cardiovascular patients and strategies used in clinical practice by Portuguese clinicians: a nationwide study.

Although much is known about cardiovascular patients' medication adherence, the extent to which clinicians perceive non-adherence as a barrier in clinical practice is little explored. Objective To evaluate knowledge and awareness about potential barriers to medication adherence, and to evaluate strategies used in clinical practice by Portuguese clinicians on how to foster medication adherence of patients undergoing secondary cardiovascular prevention. Setting Nominal Group Technique (NGT) at the University of Lisbon; online survey addressed to physicians working in primary and secondary care in Portugal.

Monitoring real-life utilization of pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma using the Portuguese National Cancer Registry.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pembrolizumab use in advanced melanoma in a real-life context; and to explore the existence of an efficacy-effectiveness gap, comparing registry data with the reference clinical trial.

Methods: This study followed the guidelines for good pharmacoepidemology practice. An ambispective cohort was constituted, initiating the observation upon drug approval (17/07/2015) and following exposed patients until death or cut-off date (15/11/2019).

Real-world effectiveness of pembrolizumab in previously treated non-small cell lung cancer: A population-based cohort study.

Purpose: Immunotherapy is promising for lung cancer treatment, although at significant financial impact. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and the efficacy-effectiveness gap of pembrolizumab in previously treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: A population-based ambispective cohort study was conducted.

Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Portugal.

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.

Contribution of Different Patient Information Sources to Create the Best Possible Medication History.

Introduction: Obtaining the best possible medication history is the crucial step in medication reconciliation. Our aim was to evaluate the potential contributions of the main data sources available - patient/caregiver, hospital medical records, and shared electronic health records - to obtain an accurate 'best possible medication history'.

Material And Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted.

Awareness campaigns of atrial fibrillation as an opportunity for early detection by pharmacists: an international cross-sectional study.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for up to one third of strokes, one of the lead mortality causes worldwide. The European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend opportunistic screening as a means to increase the odds of early detection and institution of appropriate treatment according to risk factors identified. However, in most countries there are various barriers to effective uptake of screening, including low awareness.

Community pharmacist-led medication review procedures across Europe: Characterization, implementation and remuneration.

Background: Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) proposed a definition and classification system (type 1, 2a, 2b, 3) for medication review in 2016. However, to date, a description of the implementation and remuneration of such procedures across Europe is lacking.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the medication review procedures and the level of implementation and remuneration in community pharmacies across Europe.

A survey to assess the availability, implementation rate and remuneration of pharmacist-led cognitive services throughout Europe.

Background: Pharmacist-led cognitive services (PLCS) are increasingly necessary in primary care as a response to patient-centered care. However, the implementation rate and remuneration models of PLCS are either absent or superficially described in the literature.

Objective: The aim of this study is to review the implementation of PLCS in primary care across Europe and explore the associated third-party paid remuneration models.

The South Region Cancer Registry: an evaluation of its exhaustiveness in a cohort of lung cancer patients.

The regional cancer registry for Southern Portugal (ROR-Sul) is a population-based registry set up in 1988 to observe and monitor disease incidence, prevalence and survival. Recently, the need to monitor real-life use of early approved and high-priced medicines led to therapeutic effectiveness becoming an emerging area of interest. We aimed to evaluate the exhaustiveness of the ROR-Sul database, covering around 4.

The social value of pharmaceutical interventions, the Portuguese contribution to sustainable development.

This commentary focuses on a description of solidarity initiatives developed by pharmacists in different practice areas. These are varied initiatives which contribute to improve the life of human beings in a wide range of formats with one common vector, the pharmacist's involvement. Each of the initiatives described is related to the sustainable development goal it contributes to, whilst also referring to its link to international health policy documents, mostly issued by FIP.

Using a cancer registry to capture signals of adverse events following immune and targeted therapy for melanoma.

Background Toxicity of oncology treatments in real-life patients is frequently disregarded and hence underreported. Objective To characterize adverse events (AEs) of immunotherapy and targeted therapy reported in patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma. Setting District Hospital for Cancer treatment (Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil).

Correction to: Pharmacists' confidence when providing pharmaceutical care on anticoagulants, a multinational survey.

In the original publication of this article, the article note has been missed and published online.

Pharmacists' confidence when providing pharmaceutical care on anticoagulants, a multinational survey.

Background Guidelines on the management of orally anticoagulated patients are continuously evolving, leading to an increased need for pharmacists to be fully integrated in care provision. Objective To identify self-reported gaps in confidence among practicing pharmacists in the area of anticoagulation. Setting Pharmacists in different work settings in different countries.

How prepared are pharmacists to support atrial fibrillation patients in adhering to newly prescribed oral anticoagulants?

Background The New Medicines Service (NMS) was implemented in the United Kingdom in 2011 and first evaluated in 2014, showing 10% increase on adherence. Objective To assess community pharmacists' current practice, knowledge and confidence in supporting patients' adherence as part of the NMS for patients on Oral Anti-Coagulants (OACs) for stroke prevention in Atrial Fibrillation. Setting Community pharmacists in London.

Provision of pharmaceutical care by community pharmacists across Europe: Is it developing and spreading?

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Pharmaceutical care involves patient-centred pharmacist activity to improve medicines management by patients. The implementation of this service in a comprehensive manner, however, requires considerable organisation and effort, and indeed, it is often not fully implemented in care settings. The main objective was to assess how pharmaceutical care provision within community pharmacy has evolved over time in Europe.

Sexual Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Survivors: Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Sexual Activity Questionnaire for Use in Portugal.

Introduction: The increasing survivor population of breast cancer has shifted research and practice interests into the impacts of the disease and treatment in quality of life aspects. The lack of tools available in Portuguese to objectively evaluate sexual function led to the development of this study, which aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Sexual Activity Questionnaire for use in Portugal.

Material And Methods: The questionnaire was translated and back-translated, refined following face-to-face interviews with seven breast cancer survivors, and then self-administered by a larger sample at baseline and a fortnight later to test validity and reliability.

Effects of economic recession on elderly patients' perceptions of access to health care and medicines in Portugal.

Background In view of the current financial and demographic situation in Portugal, accessibility to health care may be affected, including the ability to adhere to medication. Objective To evaluate the perceived effects of the crisis on elderly patient's access to medicines and medical care, and its implications on medicine-taking behaviour. Setting Community pharmacy.