Thirdly, this lack of prioritisation of genomics by pharmacy bodies was thought to translate into a lack of professional development provision for pharmacists who have been qualified for a number of years. The potential consequences of this

generational knowledge gap are inconsistency of care and advice due to inconsistency of pharmacists’ knowledge and a risk that pharmacists will be overlooked as central practitioners in delivering genomics-based medicine. 1. Akhtar, S. Are pharmacists ready for genotyped prescribing? The Pharmaceutical Journal 2002; 268: 296–299 Deborah Layton1,2, Vicki Osborne1,2, Saad Shakir1,2 1Drug Safety Research Unit, Southampton, Hampshire, UK, 2University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK A risk score was developed as a tool in Modified Prescription Event Monitoring (M-PEM) post-marketing selleck screening library studies to identify patients at high risk of problematic drug misuse prescribed newly marketed products. In this study of fentanyl buccal tablets (Effentora™) the prevalence of at

least one pre-existing risk factor for dependence was 26% whilst the frequency of aberrant behaviours (ABs) observed during treatment was Selleckchem Caspase inhibitor 8%. The systematic collection of health care professional (HCP) reports of ABs is feasible and can support post-marketing risk management of products with misuse potential. Problematic prescription drug use includes misuse (‘non-medical use’), addiction and unsanctioned diversion,

and is an important public health issue. (1) It is reflected by or associated with drug-seeking ABs suggestive of an elevated risk of addiction present upon starting, or emerging during treatment. Tools which encourage HCP including pharmacists to recognise and report ABs are vital to help detect and prevent the Phosphoprotein phosphatase abuse and diversion of medicines with misuse potential. As part of the pharmacovigilance requirements, (2) a Risk Management Plan was developed for fentanyl buccal tablets (Effentora™) by the manufacturer, which included a M-PEM study to examine the utilisation of fentanyl buccal tablets (Effentora™) in relation to its safety as prescribed in primary care in England. Exploratory objectives included: 1) examining the frequency of HCP reports of (i) pre-existing factors associated with risk of dependence; ii) onset of ABs during treatment; and 2) describing the characteristics of patients with reported ABs M-PEM uses an observational cohort design and does not require ethical approval. Exposure data were derived from dispensed prescriptions issued by general practitioners (GPs) March 2009-April 2011.