THE ROLE OF PERUVIAN PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTS IN PRIMARY CARE IN TIMES OF COVID-19. Date: April 21st, 2021 Peruvian Association of Pharmacy and Biochemistry Students (APEFyB, Perú), Recognize the little importance given to the pharmaceutical profession by other professionals that make up the healthcare team and authorities of our country during the pandemic, Affirm that we are healthcare professionals who have extensive knowledge on the nature of drugs, as well as the entire process necessary for their development and approval before their national and global distribution, Note that pharmaceutical chemists are the first healthcare professional that the population has contact with in the event of any alarming signs or symptoms that most of the population has have before and during the pandemic, Emphasize that community pharmacy is one of the areas in which a large number of Pharmacy and Biochemistry students decide to develop their careers, Reaffirms the role of APEFyB and its efforts to train, empower and represent pharmacy students and recent graduates nationally and internationally, as well as demonstrate the ability that pharmaceutical chemists have to assertively participate in primary care, especially in times of COVID-19, 1. Call on government to create legal frameworks that protect, care for and support frontline pharmacists, 2. Recommend that all universities include in their curricula courses to train and inform students about the responsibilities, roles and skills that should be developed by pharmacists who wish to be part of the primary care of the population, a. This includes soft skills development training to enable pharmaceutical chemists to perform relevant and appropriate patient counseling, b. It is suggested to include training to enable pharmaceutical chemists to detect the most prevalent diseases in our country, as well as chronic diseases management and assistance,
Peruvian Association of Pharmacy and Biochemistry Students (APEFyB, Perú).
3. Highlight the potential of the pharmaceutical chemist to advise patients with chronic diseases efficiently and/or assign treatments due to the extensive knowledge of medications, drug interactions and contraindications, 4. Encourage pharmaceutical chemists to promote disease prevention and good health as well as joining the efforts to eradicate self-medication and the sale of counterfeit drugs, 5. Encourage pharmaceutical chemists to continue their training constantly to improve their skills and increase their knowledge on new working methods, 6. Urges the population to recognize the importance of the role of the pharmaceutical chemist as a dispenser and advisor of medicines, as well as a health promoter, 7. Encourage the public to trust in pharmaceutical chemists and their ability to provide advice, taking into account the current situation.
Kathya Lucero Huertas Castillo Contact Person APEFyB, Peru 2021
Peruvian Association of Pharmacy and Biochemistry Students (APEFyB, Perú).