Danica A.

Capistrano
CPI – UPHSD Calamba

Activity 2: Pharmacy Operational Settings

Research on the different pharmacy setting of other ASEAN countries. (atleast 3) 

Pharmacy Practice in Malaysia

It takes knowledge to work in pharmacy. It is a well-established science-based

profession that possesses all of a professional group's fundamental traits. The unique field of
knowledge and intellectual discipline, clearly defined roles, professional ethics and conduct, and
a body that represents practitioners are the four key traits that best describe the profession.
People who want to work in the field of pharmacy must be proficient in certain fields.

The first distinguishing quality relates to the unique field of knowledge and intellectual
specialty. Undergraduate pharmacy degree programs are currently offered locally at Universiti
Sains Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, International Medical
University, Sepang Institute of Technology, and Sedaya College. These programs can help
students gain knowledge in the pharmaceutical sciences. Universiti Teknologi Mara and
International Islamic University are slated to start offering pharmacy degree programs soon,
joining these six other schools of higher learning. The Pharmacy Board also recognizes
pharmacy graduates from 56 additional foreign universities in 13 nations [1]. Only those
pharmacy students who have successfully completed the required course are allowed to begin
the twelve months of pre-registration training that is required in a facility approved by the
Pharmacy Board. A pre-registration pharmacy graduate can choose to pursue training in one of
four areas right now: manufacturing, community, hospitals, or wholesale commerce.

The existence of a national organization that represents all pharmacy practitioners is the
second characteristic. The Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) was established and
incorporated in 1965 in accordance with the Society Act. It stimulates the development of the
pharmaceutical sciences and advances pharmaceutical practice while safeguarding the
interests of practitioners and end-users. It's noteworthy to note that there are also two other
pharmaceutical societies that support the pharmacy profession in the states of Sabah and
Sarawak, respectively. These organisations are the Sabah Pharmaceutical Society and
Sarawak Pharmaceutical Society.

The third characteristic pertains to the standards of professionalism and behaviour that
all members must uphold. A directive on the subject had been released by the Council of MPS.
Unusually, the "Code of Conduct For Pharmacists and Body Corporates" was also published by
the Pharmacy Board. This document may have legal effect on pharmacists due to the Pharmacy
Board's authority under Section 22 of the Registration of Pharmacists Act 1951. The provision of
uniform professional services and advice to the public by members of a learned profession is its
fourth characteristic. This refers to the distribution of medications to the general population
along with relevant guidance (patient medication counseling, for example) at the time of
dispensing.
 Since the beginning of time, pharmacy has been a learned profession that has rarely
been tested. It has undergone multiple cycles of professional metamorphosis due to the intrinsic
vitality. As a result, there are many different ways to explain the practice of pharmacy.

Pharmacy Practice in India

India is a developing country with a population of more than 1.1 billion. The nation is
rapidly expanding and makes up 2.4% of the planet's area, yet it is also home to 16.7% of the
world's people. With over 400 mother tongues and 800 diverse dialects in use across its 28
states and 7 union territories, the United States has 22 national languages that have been
officially recognized. The beginnings of community pharmacy practice in India can be dated to
the end of the nineteenth century, when allopathic medicines were first introduced and made
accessible through drug stores in British India. The pharmacy profession continued to be
business-oriented during the colonial era, and individuals who were trained to sell
pharmaceuticals were known as drug sellers or occasionally dispensers. There were no
constraints on the practice of pharmacy in India during the pre-independence era, and
community pharmacy practice in particular was completely uncontrolled. Prescription and
dispense were typically functions carried out by medical professionals.

Additionally, the majority of doctors gave their clinic assistants training in medicine
dispensing and compounding. Following the implementation of the Pharmacy Act of 1948's
provisions, pharmacists working in India are now required to possess a pharmacist registration
certificate issued by the state in which they wish to practice. The assistants were previously
known as "compounders," whose status, functions, and duties were poorly defined and
improperly understood. A prospective pharmacist must get a minimum diploma (D. Pharm.) from
a pharmacy school accredited by the Pharmacy Council of India in order to be granted a
registration certificate (PCI). The two D. Pharm. and B. Pharm. holders are permitted to work in
any area of pharmacy. Though the B. Pharm. The course was created in a way that satisfies the
demands of the pharmaceutical sector, drug testing facilities, and regulatory authorities for
pharmaceuticals. A D. Pharm. The course was created to meet the needs of medical supply
retailers and hospitals. The fact that diploma pharmacists are not seen as suitable for roles in
the pharmaceutical business and B. both provide support for this. Pharm. Due to their lower pay
compared to industrial professions, (graduate) pharmacists are not commonly found in
community pharmacies or other practice settings.

Today, the majority of community pharmacists who oversee pharmacies are D. Pharm.
holders (diploma pharmacists). A D. Pharm. requires at least two years of education in addition
to 500 hours of practical training completed over the course of three months in a hospital or
community pharmacy. Once certified, the majority of these pharmacists receive minimal extra
training and don't have access to current knowledge. But prior to 1984, anyone may register as
a pharmacist in the First Register of the Pharmacy Act even if they had no formal education in
pharmacy as long as they had five years of experience mixing and distributing medications in a
hospital or clinic. But in the 1980s, the pharmacy act's section 32B provisions—which deal with
displaced people or repatriates—were abused, and many people—referred to as "non-diploma
pharmacists"—registered their names as pharmacists despite having no formal education or
training. Many of these individuals, who were unsuccessful in getting jobs as community
pharmacists at government hospitals, are now employed by commercial community
pharmacies.

The owner of the pharmacy, a relative in the event that the pharmacy is owned by a
pharmacist, or another supporting person (assistant or attendant) with experience in selling
medicines typically handles the dispensing in community pharmacies, as there are typically few
pharmacists on site. About 50% of pharmacies, according to a 2005 research, operate without
pharmacists. The survey also found that the majority of patients (70–80%) consult community
pharmacists for guidance on contraceptive options, menstrual abnormalities, STDs, and mild
illnesses. The majority of non-pharmacist drugstore proprietors only occasionally employ
pharmacists, which results in a constant shortage of pharmacists who can distribute medication.

In retail establishments run by people with no health-related education or experience,

pharmacists are underpaid. Studies that describe the state of community pharmacy services in
India are scarce. According to one study, pharmacists lack the necessary training to provide
patient counseling. According to two investigations, the only thing available in community
pharmacies in India are "ready to dispense medicine bundles."

Consumers (or patients) in India demand the medication from community pharmacies to
be efficient, secure, and affordable. Other demands on Indian pharmacists include dispensing
medications in accordance with regulations, providing accurate instructions on how and when to
take medications, what to do in the event of adverse drug reactions, and offering guidance on
common illnesses. Unavoidably, the neighborhood pharmacy has fallen short in offering all
these patient-focused services. Perhaps our curriculum of D. Pharm., the 1991 revision of
Pharm. did not succeed in shifting the emphasis away from compounding and preparation to
patient care. The recent launch of the Doctor of Pharmacy program in India, however, may not
benefit the community pharmacy industry, and concerns have been expressed about the use of
this program to gain international recognition and address the US lack of pharmacists.

In a nutshell, India confronts enormous difficulties in meeting the health care needs of its
sizable and expanding population. Community pharmacy services are essential to the safe and
successful administration of medications in developing health, despite numerous obstacles. It is
envisioned that community pharmacy practice will adapt in accordance with the quickly evolving
changes in health care delivery and rising patient expectations.

Pharmacy Practice in Vietnam

Vietnam's health care system is divided into four levels: primary, secondary, tertiary, and
quaternary. The Ministry of Health (MoH), the national agency that develops and implements
health policies and initiatives, is the fourth level. At the province level, there are 63 provincial
health bureaus that adhere to MoH principles but are actually natural subdivisions of local
governments. Basic health networks, such as district health facilities, community health stations,
and village health workers, are where the primary and secondary levels are located. In Vietnam,
men are said to live an average of 72 years and women an average of 81 years.

In Vietnam, the pharmacy education system is highly intricate. Following high school
graduation, individuals interested in becoming pharmacists can select courses leading to one of
four degrees: an elementary diploma in pharmacy (EDPharm, one year), a secondary diploma
in pharmacy (SDPharm, two years), a college diploma in pharmacy (CDPharm, three years), or
a bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm, five years). The length of a pharmacy program depends on
the candidate's prior training in the field as well as the level of study. After high school, for
instance, students have the option of enrolling straight into the five-year BPharm program or first
completing a two-year SDPharm degree before moving on to the four-year BPharm program.
Students can also apply to the three-year BPharm program if they already hold a bachelor's
degree in science.
 Following graduation from pharmacy school, graduates can start working right away in
the majority of public or private settings thanks to pharmaceutical rules. Only individuals who
have successfully finished the BPharm degree, however, are regarded as fully certified
pharmacists. To become a chief at a private pharmacy, additional criteria normally include a
BPharm degree and at least five years of relevant experience; in rural areas, the criterion is
typically two years of relevant experience. Similarly, in order to work as a supervisor for a
pharmaceutical manufacturing firm, a wholesaler, or another organization, one must have a
BPharm degree and at least three to five years of relevant experience a business offering
pharmaceutical storage services, or a medication distributor. Those with a one-year EDPharm
degree and at least two years of experience can operate as a distributor-owned wholesaler or
as the manager of a community health center.

In Vietnam, pharmacy practice is governed in a very different way than it is in the US.
For instance, pharmacists in Vietnam are able to distribute a greater variety of drugs without a
prescription. High rates of antibiotic use have emerged as a result of this approach being
accompanied by a significant rise in antibiotic resistance. Vietnam had the highest frequency of
penicillin resistance in a 2001 survey of Asian nations, with an estimated 71.4% rate of
streptococcus pneumoniae resistance. The issue has been exacerbated by high out-of-pocket
medical costs, the availability of antibiotics without a prescription, and a lack of understanding
regarding proper antibiotic usage. For many Vietnamese, purchasing medications directly from
pharmacies is more convenient and quicker than initially seeking medical attention.

How can the community pharmacy here in the Philippines adopt and improve? Include
pictures and captions.

Enhancing services is one way community pharmacists may better take care of their
customers and their bottom line. These include services that can assist keep patients out of the
hospital or emergency room and for which the pharmacist may occasionally be compensated by
the patient or a third-party payer. There are nine ways community pharmacists might adopt
improved services profitably. The nine services are:

1. Enhanced delivery
2. Immunizations

3. Medication therapy management (MTM)

4. Medication synchronization

5. Adherence or convenience packaging

6. Medicare plan selection

7. Point-of-care testing

8. Nutrition

9. eCare capability
 Most community pharmacists already provide many of these services to many of their
patients, most notably medication therapy management (MTM) and drug reconciliation.
Some of the offerings for improved patient care are extensions of existing initiatives that a
community pharmacy may already be running. For instance, enhanced delivery entails
speaking with the patient or caregiver as well as delivering the prescription to see if there
are any questions or concerns about it or any other difficulties. Even a mobile phone or
tablet that enables communication between the patient and the pharmacist may be carried
by the delivery person. In addition, the delivery vehicle, which bears the pharmacy's emblem
on the side, doubles as a moving billboard.

Vaccinations are another area in which pharmacists may improve patient care and their
revenue stream. Vaccinations are currently performed in pharmacies one out of every four
times, however most pharmacies lose out on 70% of the associated revenue.

Additionally, pharmacies ought to think about assisting customers with Medicare Part D
plan selection. The customer is shown which locally offered plan will provide him or her with
the best coverage by the program after the pharmacist or pharmacy staff input information
about the person's drugs into it, according to him. There are 41 million Medicare
beneficiaries, and the average enrollee has a potentially bewildering selection from 16
Advantage plans and 26 Part D plans. Each year, enrollees frequently select a different
plan, making them repeat clients for this service.

Point-of-care testing, such as tests for the flu or strep throat, is currently a service that
some pharmacies offer. However, pharmacogenomics testing as well as saliva tests for
hormone levels are now available at pharmacies. Drugs that may not work or entail a higher
risk of adverse responses for a certain patient can be recommended by pharmacists to
doctors thanks to pharmacogenomic testing.

Almost all pharmacies carry lines of vitamins and nutritional supplements, but
pharmacists can provide more guidance and counseling in the area of nutrition, particularly
when it comes to medications that could decrease levels of particular nutrients. By
combining testing, counseling, and clinics for diabetic nutritional advice or for weight
reduction, pharmacists can transition their profession to one that is patient-focused rather
than product-focused.

The pharmacy eCare feature, which connects pharmacists to patients' electronic health
information, can help tie all these improved services together. Pharmacy eCare can import
patient data, including prescription history, payer data, medical history, issues with drug
therapy, care coordination, and the patient's own objectives.

In conclusion, community pharmacy in the Philippines can adapt to changes, especially

since the majority of the services provided by community pharmacies in other nations have
been greatly increased to meet the needs of every patient. Both the healthcare system and
the Filipino people will benefit from strategic planning and improvement of the pharmacy
sector in the Philippines.