The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7494 p325
22 March 2008

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Pharmacists not prepared for flu pandemic

Less than half of community pharmacists (44 per cent) in the UK are confident about their ability to respond to an influenza pandemic, according to a survey commissioned by Roche Products, manufacturer of Tamiflu (oseltamivir).

The survey of 83 pharmacists carried out in December 2007 showed that, while nearly all respondents (87 per cent) recognise their frontline role within Department of Health pandemic plans and are confident in giving advice about influenza, they believe that a lack of specific guidance together with recent low levels of seasonal influenza are hampering their preparation to manage a future pandemic. Fewer than 1 in 10 pharmacists have provided antiviral medicines in the past three years.

Commenting on the results, Andrew McCoig, community pharmacist and a member of Croydon Primary Care Trust’s pandemic committee, said: “Although influenza has not been a serious public health issue in the UK for a while, we see many cases of colds and all flu types in a pharmacy, much more than perhaps in surgeries.

“However, the very low volume of influenza-specific prescriptions since the launch of antiviral medicines has meant that pharmacists have concentrated their time and skills on other more imperative therapeutic areas.

“Pharmacists will be a major part of pandemic management and therefore must start receiving specific guidance from the DoH so that they can focus on an impending pandemic.”