Abstract
Polish pharmacy practice and the distribution of medicinal products in some European countries are still going through a significant transformation. Changes postulated by the pharmacists should strengthen their role, and the place of community pharmacies in the health care system in the context of—among others—the introduction and popularization of pharmaceutical care. Subsequently, these efforts may essentially ensure the professional independence of the pharmacists. The introduction of pharmaceutical care to the pharmacy practice in all European countries will help to improve the quality of patient care and treatment outcomes, and will lead to a better allocation of available resources. Herewith, we present an important voice in the international debate, showing the current changes in the pharmacy practice in Poland, a European Union (EU)-member from 2004. Indeed, this paper presents the perspective of the country in which the position of pharmaceutical care is not well-established, and the role of the pharmacist is still limited to dispensing medicinal products, more than decade after it joined EU.
Highlights
The role of the pharmacist in some European Union (EU) members (e.g., Poland) is still under development, and remains limited to dispensing medicines despite the continuing efforts of pharmacists and academic bodies [1]
Apart from pharmacists in the community pharmacy, we can identify pharmaceutical technicians who fulfilled 2-year training as well as supportive staff, with respective responsibilities defined by the separated legal acts [6]
The pharmaceutical law prohibits only the situation where physicians which are actively involved in their professional duties are the owner of the community pharmacy
Summary
The role of the pharmacist in some European Union (EU) members (e.g., Poland) is still under development, and remains limited to dispensing medicines despite the continuing efforts of pharmacists and academic bodies [1]. The recent proposed and introduced changes in the Polish pharmaceutical law should be considered as the step in a long path to promoting innovative pharmacy practice into routine settings in an area where the implementation of pharmaceutical care is still in the primary phase. In this context, the amendments currently being discussed in Poland might be supportive for countries where the pharmacy profession is still under development.
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