The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7245 p548
19 April 2003

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  New Charter
  Community pharmacy
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Letters to the Editor

Tuberculosis

Pharmacists should be more involved in TB research

From Mr T. W. Rennie, MRPharmS

I recently attended the World TB Day conference (24–25 March) and gave a presentation on the pharmacists’ role in tuberculosis care. This was particularly difficult considering the lack of work published by pharmacists on the subject of TB — most is anecdotal.

It seems that most pharmacists have little involvement in TB beyond a traditional procurement and supply role. But pharmacists should note that one-third of people worldwide are infected with TB,¹ multi-drug resistance has emerged, and HIV infection is now considered the most important predisposing factor for TB.² It is time for pharmacists to get interested in TB patient care and management; there are so many pharmacy issues.

Through talking to delegates at the conference, I became aware of a number of pharmacists who were keen to get involved or who had previously carried out research into TB. I would encourage such pharmacists to communicate these activities through published research or correspondence.

Timothy Rennie
Centre for Practice and Policy,
The School of Pharmacy,
University of London,
29–39 Brunswick Square,
London WC1N 1AN
(e-mail timothy.rennie@ulsop.ac.uk)

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