Pfizer Increases Patient Involvement in Medication Optimization

In an effort to get the public more involved in medication optimization, United States-based Pfizer has introduced a new scratch card for patients.

The postcard-sized intervention allows individuals to scratch off sections that indicate how strongly they agree or disagree with 5 statements concerning their use of medications. Then, the patient returns the scratch card to a pharmacy team member for analysis and appropriate advice.

“Community pharmacies are ideally placed to help people to understand how to get the most out of their prescribed medicines, and we know the benefits that this can bring in empowering people to better manage their long-term conditions and to avoid complications that can affect their quality of life and require costly NHS treatments,” Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), told London-based PharmaTimes. “We have seen the positive difference that medicines use reviews can make to medicines adherence levels, so we fully support this initiative, which we hope will prove useful to pharmacy teams looking to have those first conversations with patients about their medicines.”

Pfizer created the scratch card in collaboration with the National Pharmacy Association in the United Kingdom and was supported by the PSNC, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, and Pharmacy Voice. The scratch card was unveiled at the Pharmacy Show in London on October 5, 2014, and will be made available to the public on October 20, 2014.

"Pharmacists have an essential role to play in optimizing medicines use, and pharmacy services…have been shown to have a positive impact on patient adherence. However, public awareness of pharmacy services is low and we need to address this so that more people are able to benefit,” Ash Soni, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, told Pharmaceutical-Technology.com. “The scratch cards are designed to capture public attention, and I welcome any tool that creates opportunities for pharmacy teams and the public to engage in meaningful conversations about medicines."