OPINION
Dermatology pharmacy coming of age
A recent meeting of dermatology specialist pharmacists showed that changes are afoot and independentprescriber pharmacists could be poised to take on the management of a number of long-term skin diseases
For many years , a small number of pharmacists have had an interest in patients with dermatological diseases but this has not been seen as a headline item and has not been embraced with the same enthusiasm as , for example , casefinding for people with atrial fibrillation or management of high blood pressure . Neither has it been an area that pharmacy bodies have pushed forward in a consistent way .
However , a large number of pharmacists expressed an interest in forming a group and a meeting was held recently . Several things were immediately evident : first , there was a high level of enthusiasm and expertise among the pharmacists , rather than just passing interest and curiosity ; second , the dermatology landscape has changed – numerous monoclonal antibodies and other new drugs are now being developed for use in skin diseases ; and third , consultant physicians were welcoming the prospect of working alongside prescribing pharmacists as members
Christine Clark PhD FRPharmS FCPP ( Hon )
of the wider dermatology team .
It is interesting to reflect on how some of these things have come about . Some years ago , dermatology pharmacists tended to develop an interest in the area because they recognised a clinical need and an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of medicines ’ use . No-one who has worked in a dermatology clinic could fail to be moved by the plight of patients with bags of poorlylabelled , barely-used creams and inadequately-controlled skin disease . In the modern era , there have been a number of important developments in drug treatment for inflammatory skin diseases – starting with the introduction of topical corticosteroids and going on to include calcipotriol , topical calcineurin inhibitors pimecrolimus and tacrolimus and topical retinoids / retinoid-like drugs for acne . Arguably , using topical treatments effectively for relapsing / remitting skin diseases is as critical as using inhaler therapy correctly for asthma and yet it never seemed to excite the same enthusiasm . Now , it looks as if the growth in the numbers of pharmacists working in GP practices could put this right .
Health care needs There is no shortage of work in this area . The Health Care Needs
8 | Issue 99 | 2021 | hospitalpharmacyeurope . com