NEWS RPS LAUNCHES NEW POLICY ON AI IN PHARMACY
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has unveiled a new policy outlining the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmacy, aiming to harness its potential to enhance patient care and support pharmacy practice.
Developed in collaboration with RPS members, Expert Advisory Group members, Board members, digital technology specialists and external stakeholders—including the General Pharmaceutical Council—the policy highlights both the opportunities and challenges AI presents in modern healthcare.
The policy emphasises several crucial areas where AI can significantly impact pharmacy practice:
• Improving Patient Care – AI has the potential to support pharmacy professionals in ensuring
the safe and effective use of medicines, ultimately improving patient outcomes in all settings.
• Education and Training – Investment in AI training and skills development is essential to equip pharmacy professionals for the future.
• Data Protection – Safeguarding patient data remains a top priority. Pharmacists must comply with privacy standards and regulations when using AI-driven tools.
• Collaboration – AI tools should be developed in close partnership with pharmacists, data scientists, developers, and patients to ensure they align with clinical needs.
• Governance and Safety – AI systems must adhere to strict regulatory guidelines and undergo continuous oversight to ensure patient safety.
• Patient Focus – Transparency in AI applications and the use of diverse datasets are necessary
CONCERNS GROW OVER ONLINE PRESCRIBING OF WEIGHT-LOSS JABS
Pharmacy leaders have raised fresh concerns about the online prescribing of weight-loss injections, warning of significant risks to patient safety.
As demand for GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Wegovy and Mounjaro surges, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) are calling for stricter safeguards to prevent misuse and inappropriate prescribing.
Weight-loss jabs, designed to reduce food cravings, are intended for individuals with a BMI of 30 or more. However, pharmacy leaders warn that increasing numbers of individuals are seeking these treatments as a lifestyle medication. The NPA has highlighted cases where patients with previous eating disorders or already low body weight were inappropriately prescribed these medications without sufficient oversight.
Ashley Cohen of the NPA emphasised the potential dangers, warning that these injections can cause serious side effects, including stomach upsets, nausea and gallstones. He called for stricter measures to ensure that prescribers conduct thorough patient consultations lasting at least 20 minutes, rather than relying solely on online questionnaires.
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The GPhC has responded to these concerns by updating its guidance for online pharmacies, requiring additional safeguards for high-risk medicines, including weight-loss jabs. Under the new rules, prescribers must independently verify a patient’s medical history through clinical records, GP consultation, or direct two- way communication before issuing a prescription.
Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive of the GPhC, stressed that online pharmacies must prioritise patient safety, “Online pharmacies should only supply a medicine if the prescriber has conducted an appropriate consultation and obtained all necessary information to determine whether the medicine is safe and suitable for the patient.”
The NPA has further urged regulators to close loopholes that allow medicines to be supplied without appropriate checks. This warning comes amid a boom in demand for weight-loss jabs, with ministers considering expanding access to the medications on the NHS. While obesity remains a major public health challenge, pharmacy leaders stress that weight-loss injections should only be prescribed within a well-regulated treatment plan, ensuring patient safety and long-term health outcomes.
to ensure fairness and effectiveness in AI- driven healthcare solutions.
Commenting on the launch, RPS President, Professor Claire Anderson said, “AI offers exciting potential to transform pharmacy practice and there are already some great examples of its use. We must optimise the opportunities that these advancing technologies bring to enhance patient access to care, improve patient experience, support clinical decision-making and improve the safety and efficiency of the medicines supply chain. Our policy provides a framework to ensure AI is harnessed safely and effectively to support pharmacists and patients.”
Read the full policy here:
https://www.rpharms.com/recognition/all-our- campaigns/policy-a-z/ai
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY NI APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The Pharmaceutical Society NI announced the appointment of Mr Canice Ward as its new Chief Executive.
Canice Ward
Canice, a registered pharmacist for almost 20 years, will join the Society on a two-year secondment from the Department of Health for Northern Ireland. He will take up the role of Chief Executive on Monday 3 March 2025.
After qualifying as a pharmacist, Canice worked in a number of managerial roles within community pharmacy before joining the Department of Health in Northern Ireland as a Pharmacy Inspector in 2013. In 2018, he became Head of the Medicines Regulatory Group at the Department of Health, with overall responsibility for key aspects of medicines control in Northern Ireland, including the monitoring of the production, import/export, possession, supply and administration of medicines and controlled drugs.
Canice also assists with pharmacy education both pre and post registration at Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster.
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