When the next pandemic strikes, the world will not just need vaccines and ventilators – it will need pharmacists as well. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in our global health infrastructure. These included overwhelmed hospitals, testing bottlenecks and rampant misinformation. While frontline physicians and nurses received their well-deserved recognition during this time, another allied healthcare professional quietly fulfilled their role during the pandemic. They are none other than, the pharmacist. They were crucial in ensuring medication access, providing vaccines and calming public fears.

Despite being accessible to 90% of the global population, pharmacists still are an underutilized asset in preparing for the next pandemic. Their evolving role from medication dispensers to frontline healthcare defenders is interesting. It represents one of the most promising yet overlooked strategies for building resilient healthcare systems. 

It is crucial to think about how pharmacists can strengthen our defenses against global health challenges. This thought shapes the gist of this blog and talks about the role of a pharmacist in a pandemic. 

Pharmacists’ Evolving Role in Tackling Global Health Challenges

The traditional image of pharmacists as mere medicine dispensers has changed over the years. Modern pharmacists now assume multifaceted responsibilities. These include direct patient care, medication management and interprofessional collaboration. 

Pharmacists are integrated into primary care. In this aspect, they help in managing chronic diseases and conducting medication reviews. They also assess patient responses to treatments and provide recommendations for therapy adjustments based on individual patient needs. 

Perhaps this explains why leading organizations like the World Health Organization and the International Pharmaceutical Federation now advocate for expanded roles for pharmacists. These global bodies recognize their potential to ease healthcare burdens during global health challenges. 

To support what we say, here are a couple of examples:

– Australia employs pharmacists in chronic care programs. This has reduced hospital admissions. In this arrangement, the pharmacists are co-located with the general practice. This lets them access the practice’s patient records. As a result, they can work with the GPs via mechanisms like case conferences.

– The U.S. leverages pharmacies as ‘Vaccine Hubs’. The pharmacists there had administered 40% of the adult flu shots and millions of COVID-19 vaccines. As per the study, pandemic interventions by pharmacists and teammates averted more than 1 million deaths.  

This shift reflects a global acknowledgement of the fact that – pharmacists are important for resilient health systems. 

Pharmacists: The First in Line Responders During Pandemics

global health challenges

During the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacists emerged as crucial frontline healthcare providers. Their accessibility, especially in areas with limited healthcare resources, positioned them as the first points of contact for many patients. 

A study of pharmacists in France revealed they rapidly adapted to provide a range of pandemic-specific services while maintaining essential medication services. Pharmacists served as critical triage points. They helped identify potential COVID cases and directed patients to appropriate care channels when hospital systems were overwhelmed. 

The pandemic dramatically expanded pharmacist’s public health functions. They became educators of hygiene practices and distributors of essential protective equipment. They also helped in ensuring physical distancing during pharmacy layout adjustment. 

As vaccination campaigns rolled out, pharmacists became administrators of vaccines. Also, they became trusted sources of information. As a result, they strived to combat hesitancy and misinformation that threatened public health efforts. 

If we look beyond these technical roles, pharmacists also provided emotional support to anxious communities in these bleak times. They maintained a steady and reassuring presence when uncertainty prevailed. In many cases, they served as the most accessible healthcare expert for patients seeking guidance during lockdowns. 

How Pharmacists Are Revolutionizing Real-Time Disease Tracking

Pharmacists occupy a unique position in disease surveillance networks through their practice of pharmacovigilance. The World Health Organization defines it as “the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other possible drug-related problems”.

Their consistent interaction with patients creates opportunities to detect unusual symptom patterns. It also helps them identify medication demand surges that might signal public health threats.

The value of pharmacy-based surveillance becomes particularly evident during pandemic situations. Pharmacists can identify trends in OTC medication purchases that may indicate community spread before formal testing identifies outbreaks.

One striking instance that comes to our mind here is – how pharmacists helped track Zika virus spread in Brazil. They helped people know about preventive measures. They also helped with symptom identification so that the afflicted persons can go for timely and appropriate treatments. 

Pharmacists’ ability to compile elaborate medication histories has many advantages to medicine surveillance systems. It can strengthen the overall pharmacovigilance infrastructure. As a result, it helps detect and respond to adverse reactions from pandemic countermeasures.

Recognizing Pharmacists as Guardians of the Medical Supply Chain

The 2020 pandemic exposed critical supply chain vulnerabilities. This was one of the key global health challenges. Pharmacists help in fortifying these systems against future disruptions with strategic approaches. Their expertise in inventory management lets them effectively predict medication demand during crises. This helps prevent shortages of critical medicines. 

Pharmacists also dynamically allocate resources and prepare position lists of products with short shelf lives. This way, they contribute significantly to supply chain resilience.

During pandemic outbreaks, pharmacists use techniques like information sharing across healthcare networks. They function as mediators between manufacturers, distributors and patients. As a result, they can identify supply and stock issues before they become critical. 

In emergency situations, we have seen many cases of hospital and community pharmacists developing novel solutions. For instance, they come up with effective over-the-counter treatments for symptomatic care.

Their expertise in inventory optimization helps reduce hoarding. This way, it ensures proper access to lifesaving medications. 

Pharmacists’ Efforts in Combating Misinformation and Promoting Vaccination

Pharmacists represent one of the most trusted healthcare professions. This is a status that positions them uniquely to address one of the greatest challenges to pandemic control- vaccine hesitancy. 

Their regular interactions with patients promote familiarity and trust. Such interactions help them discuss vaccination concerns with the patients. 

Studies conducted in the United Arab Emirates showed that 88.8% of pharmacists reported increased engagement in patient education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This aptly depicts their expanding role as healthcare information providers. 

Since they are ideal at community integration and communication, they prove to be highly effective in vaccination campaigns. Pharmacies offer approachable spaces where patients feel free to ask questions. Pharmacists are great at turning complex scientific information into something that the patient will understand. 

This trust-based advocacy proves particularly valuable in reaching underserved communities. Community pharmacists often share cultural backgrounds with the populations they serve. This allows for culturally coherent communication that addresses specific concerns.

The Need of the Hour: Training and Upskilling for Future Threats 

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Preparing pharmacists for future pandemic threats will be a smart move. However, it requires investment in education and training. In our opinion, the pharmacy academics can evolve to include subjects like 

  • Emergency preparedness
  • Disease surveillance
  • Crisis management

These can be a part of traditional pharmaceutical education for them.

The COVID experience showed that pharmacists can rapidly adapt to new roles when regulatory frameworks permit. However, formalized emergency response training would enhance their effectiveness. Also, it will decrease adaptation time during future crises.  

The pandemic accelerated telehealth adoption across healthcare sectors. This shift has led to the need for digital competency. Pharmacists can undergo training in remote consultation techniques and digital health record management. Doing so can help them to function effectively in increasingly virtual healthcare domains. 

Additionally, training in mental health first aid would better equip pharmacists in other areas. For instance, they would be able to support communities experiencing the psychological impacts of pandemics and other public health emergencies.

Real-World Case Studies: Pharmacists Leading the Charge

There are many examples and real-life scenarios that dictate how pharmacists stepped outside their role of medication dispensers and saved the day. 

Here, we will highlight  a few:

  1. Canada demonstrated exceptional pharmacy integration during COVID-19 by establishing pharmacies as critical infrastructure for testing and vaccination. The Canadian Pharmacists Association collaborated with Health Canada to make rapid test kits available through pharmacies for workplace screening by small and medium-sized enterprises. This initiative shows how pharmacists can extend public health capabilities beyond traditional settings.

    Also, pharmacies in Canada administered 20% of COVID 19 vaccines. This eased hospital burdens and helped people get vaccines in time. 

  1. In the United Arab Emirates, pharmacists reported significant increases in their patient care activities.

    57.7% of UAE pharmacists increased their pharmaceutical interventions. Additionally, 41.8% reported greater physician acceptance of these interventions. Both the statistics suggest enhanced interprofessional collaboration during the crisis. 

These examples show how pharmacists worldwide showed remarkable adaptability. They successfully met healthcare challenges while ensuring essential medication services throughout the pandemic.

Challenges Hindering Pharmacists’ Role in Pandemic Preparedness

Despite being so efficient during the COVID pandemic, pharmacists continue to face problems with full integration in pandemic preparedness. Regulatory limitations remain the most persistent obstacle. Many countries still restrict pharmacists’ authority to prescribe, test or vaccinate independently. This can hamper their rapid response capabilities during emergencies.

Financial barriers also impede progress. Many healthcare systems lack reimbursement mechanisms for advanced pharmacy services beyond dispensing. Without sustainable funding models, pharmacies cannot invest in the infrastructure/staffing and training needed to expand public health services. This might result in emergency response frameworks that fail to leverage pharmacy networks effectively.

Overcoming these barriers requires proper policy action. Governments in different countries should implement regulatory frameworks that automatically expand pharmacists’ scope during public health emergencies. Reimbursement models can evolve to recognize and compensate pharmacists’ clinical and public health services. 

Most importantly, health systems must transition from viewing pharmacists primarily as medication suppliers. They should start recognizing them as clinical care providers. 

Final Thoughts

next pandemic threat

The multidimensional roles pharmacists assumed during the COVID pandemic reveal their potential to tackle global health challenges. As healthcare systems worldwide rebuild and strengthen their defence, integrating pharmacists fully into preparedness planning is important. They prove to be indispensable assets in the global health security architecture.

The next pandemic threat is not a matter of “if” – it’s a matter of “when”. With empowered pharmacists, the world will stand stronger. 

Are you a pharmacist looking to further contribute to global health preparedness while advancing your career? Then you should register with MDForLives. Join us, take surveys, and receive an honorarium as a token of appreciation for your valuable contributions.

FAQ’s
  • What is the role of pharmacists in global health needs? 

Pharmacists play an important role in addressing global health problems by ensuring access to essential medicines and promoting medication safety. They also support public health initiatives. 

  • What is the role of pharmacists in preventing health care? 

Pharmacists are very crucial in health promotion and disease prevention. Their accessibility makes them vital contributors to community health. 

  • Why are pharmacists essential in pandemic preparedness? 

They are indispensable during a pandemic because of their accessibility and ability to provide immediate care. They can help with early symptom recognition and manage medication supply chains. 

  • What additional training do pharmacists need for future pandemics? 

Pharmacists would require training in emergency preparedness, telehealth delivery and infection control. Education on epidemiology and crisis communication is important too. 

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