Development of pharmacy activity in Serbia - what do we need?

Abstract

This paper presents a set of recommendations that can contribute to the improvement of the pharmacy business. They resulted from a series of professional meetings and a collection of opinions from masters of pharmacy employed in various health care institutions in the Republic of Serbia. The general recommendation would imply strict compliance with existing laws (Law on Medicines and Medical Devices (1), Law on Health Care (2)), but also the adoption of the Law on Pharmacy, following the example of countries with developed pharmacy practice. Individual key provisions that would bring improvement of pharmacy and quality pharmaceutical services to patients in the short term are the mandatory presence of at least one licensed pharmacist during the entire working hours in each pharmacy, as well as compliance and control of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. In the long term, strengthening national regulatory bodies in the field of medicines and medical devices is important for improving the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines and the issuance and application of therapy. According to all standards, these jobs should be entrusted exclusively to masters of pharmacy, and in certain cases to appropriate pharmacy specialists. Development of specific clinical skills and introduction of additional services, such as vaccination and disposal of pharmaceutical waste, would significantly contribute to resource savings and contribute to the health system.

Ovaj rad predstavlja skup preporuka koje mogu doprineti poboljšanju apotekarske delatnosti, a koje su proistekle iz niza stručnih sastanaka i prikupljanja mišljenja od magistara farmacije zaposlenih u različitim zdravstvenim ustanovama u Republici Srbiji. Opšta preporuka bi podrazumevala strogo poštovanje postojećih zakona (Zakona o lekovima i medicinskim sredstavima (1), Zakon o zdravstvenoj zaštiti (2)), ali i donošenje Zakona o apotekarskoj delatnosti, po ugledu na države sa razvijenom apotekarskom praksom. Pojedinačne ključne odredbe koje bi u kratkom vremenskom roku donele unapređenje apotekarske delatnosti i kvalitetne farmaceutske usluge ka pacijentima su obavezno prisustvo najmanje jednog diplomiranog farmaceuta sa licencom tokom celokupnog radnog vremena u svakoj apoteci, kao i poštovanje i kontrola režima izdavanja lekova na recept i lekova bez recepta. Na dugi rok, jačanje nacionalnih regulatornih tela u oblasti lekova i medicinskih sredstava je značajno radi poboljšanja kvaliteta, bezbednosti i efikasnosti lekova i izdavanja i primene terapije. Ovi poslovi bi prema svim standardima morali biti povereni isključivo magistrima farmacije, a u određenim slučajevima i odgovarajućim specijalistima farmacije. Razvoj specifičnih kliničkih veština i uvođenje dodatnih usluga, kao što su npr. vakcinacija i zbrinjavanje farmaceutskog otpada, bi značajno doprineli uštedama resursa i doprineli zdravstvenom sistemu u celini.