Journal of the Malta College 
                                                                                                                     of Pharmacy Practice
                                                                                                                        Issue 15 Summer 2009
                                                                                                                          ISSN 1811-9514
                                                                                                                      The Official Publication of 
                                                                                                                 the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice
                                                                                                                     c/o Department of Pharmacy, 
                                                                                                                      University of Malta, Msida
                                                                                                                        Tel: (356) 2340 2908
                                                                                                                       Email: info@mcppnet.org
                                                                                                                          www.mcppnet.org
                                                                                                                      Chairperson of Publications
                                                                                                             Lorna Marie West BPharm(Hons), MSc Clin Pharm (Aberdeen)
                                                                                                                           Editor in Chief 
                                                                                                                    Maria Cordina BPharm(Hons), PhD(QUB)
                                                                                                                           Editorial Board
                                                                                                                          Marketing Editor
                                                                                                               Francesca Buttigieg BPharm(Hons), MSc(Sunderland)
                                                                                                                              Members
            Good Pharmacy Practice                                                                               Claude Farrugia BPharm(Hons), PhD(UIC), MRSC
                                                                                                                 Sandra Mifsud Bonnici BPharm(Hons), BA, LP
                                                                                                              Patricia Vella Bonanno BPharm(Hons), MSc(Belfast) PhD
             Maria Cordina BPharm(Honx), PhD(QUB)                                                                The opinions expressed in this publication 
                                                                                                               are those of the respective authors and do not 
            Editor                                                                                                necessarily reflect the opinions of the 
                                                                                                                          editor or publisher. 
            Email: president@mcppnet.org
                                                                                                                          Advertising Policy
            The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in collaboration                                     applicable to all official publications 
                                                                                                                 of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice
            with the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a joint document                                      Advertisers are liable for the contents 
            entitled ‘Good Pharmacy Practice in Community and Hospital Settings’                                 of any of their advertisements published
                                                                                                             according to the instructions. The advertisers shall 
            outlining the profession’s core activities and obligations.1                                      indemnify and hold harmless the Malta College of 
                                                                                                               Pharmacy Practice against and from any and all 
                                                                                                               claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses 
                                                                                                              whatsoever, including counsel fees, arising from 
                                                                                                                the content of any of their advertisements.
                The document presents a set of standards   challenging in terms of access to drugs. 
            for the practice of pharmacy which play        Another significant problem which is on the                  Instructions to Authors
            an important part in the measurement           increase and challenges the pharmacist’s          Before submitting an article to The Journal of the 
            of quality of service to the consumer.         most basic service, is the issue of counterfeit    Malta College of Pharmacy Practice, please read 
            While no minimum standard has been set,        medicines. While international organisations       and carefully follow the instructions to authors 
            international, national pharmaceutical         are attempting to address this issue,                  which are found at www.mcppnet.org
            organisations and governments have been        pharmacists need to be vigilant to ensure 
            urged to use this document to set standards    that good quality medicines reach their 
            for the practice of pharmacy which are         patients. 
            appropriate for their country. This editorial      Pharmacists also need to provide 
            aims to outline the main issues presented      appropriate advice and information to the                        The Council
            in this document to reinforce practioners      patient and are responsible for monitoring 
            commitment to good pharmacy practice.          the effects of medicines use. Communicating                       President 
                The primary concern of the practice of     information to the patient requires the                  Maria Cordina BPharm(Hons), PhD(QUB)
            pharmacy is the welfare of patients. This      pharmacist to possess the appropriate                             Secretary 
                                                                                                               Ruth Theuma BPharm(Hons), MSc Clin Pharm (Aberdeen)
            is achieved by the profession delivering its   communication skills. Patients have a right                       Registrar 
            services at the highest possible standard.     to communicate with their pharmacist in               Charlotte Carabott Castagna BPharm(Hons)
            The core pharmacy activity is the supply of    a confidential manner, therefore a specific                Chairperson of Publications
            medication and other health care products      area should be provided where a private           Lorna Marie West BPharm(Hons), MSc Clin Pharm (Aberdeen)
                                                                                                                             Treasurer 
            of assured quality, which may at times prove   conversation can be conducted between               Angela Borg Barthet BPharm(Hons), MSc(Pub Health)
                                                           pharmacist and patient. 
            Issue 15  Summer 2009                                                               Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice          3
                 An integral part of the practice of               Pharmacists should be actively involved            treatment. Individuals self-treat a large 
             pharmacy is the pharmacist’s contribution             in various health promotion activities and         proportion of their problems without 
             to the promotion of rational and economic             should be at the forefront of campaigns            consulting a health care professional, 
             prescribing and appropriate use of medicines.         which aim to minimise the abuse or                 therefore pharmacists should help people 
             Pharmacists input into decisions about                misuse of medicines.                               make informed choices about self-care 
             medicines use is essential and has been            2.  Activities associated with the supply             and support individuals by providing 
             shown to have positive outcomes both                  and use of medicines and items for                 correct information and interpreting 
             in terms of patient care and economic                 the administration of medicines or                 information put forward by the individual. 
             outcomes. Apart from having the appropriate           otherwise related to treatment. This               This necessitates a shift in focus to 
             infrastructure to achieve these outcomes,             is the profession’s core activity and              one of illness management and self-
             pharmacists need to establish positive                encompasses a vast range of services.              maintenance.
             professional relationships with other health          These include:                                  4.  Activities associated with influencing 
             care professionals especially doctors by the          •	 Reception	of	the	prescription	and		             the prescribing and use of medicine. 
             setting up of a therapeutic partnership based            confirmation of the integrity of the            Pharmacists need to be proactive in 
             on mutual trust, respect and confidence in               communication                                   evaluating data on the use of medicines 
             matters relating to pharmacotherapeutics.             •	 Assessment	of	the	prescription	by		             they also need to identify adverse events 
                 Good Pharmacy Practice necessitates that             the pharmacist                                  and medication errors and act in the best 
             the objective of each element of pharmacy             •	 Assembly	of	the	prescribed	item                 interest of the patient.
             service is relevant to the patient, is clearly        •	 Advice	to	ensure	that	the	patient			             Regulators and pharmacy association 
             defined and is effectively communicated                  or carer receives and understands            should work together towards setting high 
             to all those involved.  In order for the                 sufficient written and oral                  standards for the profession while supporting 
             pharmacist to take decisions which are in the            information to derive maximum                pharmacists to achieve these goals in the 
             best interest of the patient, the pharmacist             benefit from the treatment                   best interest of the patient.
             should have access to the essential medical           •	 Following	up	the	effect	of	the		   	
             and pharmaceutical information about each                prescribed treatments
             patient.                                              •	 Documentation	of	professional		    	         References
                 The Good Pharmacy Practice Guidelines                activities.
             have identified four main groups of activities     3.  Activities associated with self-care,          1.  Good pharmacy practice in community and hospital 
             for which national standards should be set.           including advice about, and where                  settings: annex 7 to the thirty-fifth report of 
             1.  Activities associated with the promotion          appropriate the supply of a medicine               the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for 
                of good health, avoidance of ill-health            or other treatment for symptoms of                 Pharmaceutical Preparations. WHO technical report 
                                                                                                                      series no.885 Geneva, Switzerland: World Health 
                and achievement of health objectives.              ailments that lend themselves to self-             Organisation; 1999:93-101.
             Issue 15  Summer 2009                                                                     Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice          5