Pharmaceutical care in the Arabic-speaking Middle East: literature review and country informant feedback

Abstract

The philosophy and practice of pharmaceutical care (PC) has challenged Middle Eastern pharmacists to embrace a new paradigm that focuses on outcomes of care rather than products or tasks. Although the application of PC was found to be associated with a reduction in adverse drug reactions, length of hospital stay and cost of care in the developed world, the status and application of the practice remains less clear in the Arabic-speaking Middle East (ME). The aim of this project was to describe the current status of PC services in a number of Arabic-speaking ME countries. Methods We conducted literature search to identify what had been published on the status of PC in the ME. We also invited individuals who have good understanding of the pharmacy environment in the respective country. The individuals identified were asked to respond to a set of standardized questions relating to PC services in their countries. Results The literature search generated 12 publications in total. Ten country informants agreed to provide information on PC practice and pharmacy practice in general in their respective countries and they ultimately provided information related to these areas. Conclusions The PC concept is still often confused with clinical pharmacy, which remains to be a priority in several countries in the region. Pharmacy education is rapidly changing change in many of the ME. These changes are hoped to reflect a wider recognition and application of PC services in the hospital and community settings.