Influenza vaccination is a reality in 4 out of 10 pharmacies. In the last year, 34% of pharmacies carried out screening campaigns for the identification of diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The participation in the colorectal cancer prevention campaign in 2022 was massive, in which almost 8 out of 10 pharmacies joined. The fifth Annual Report on Pharmacy presented today in Rome outlines how the role of the pharmacist is changing and edited by Cittadinanzattiva, in collaboration with Federfarma.
Made with the unconditional contribution of Teva, it involved 1,030 pharmacies and as many as 1,284 citizens, of whom almost two out of three are chronically ill. The Report also presents variations over time: in 2018, only 18% of pharmacies had participated in screening for colorectal cancer, compared to 78% in 2022. Among the services available, blood pressure monitoring has grown, which can be carried out in 90% of pharmacies in 2018 and in 96% in 2022. The booking of medical appointments and tests is also growing, increased from 63% in 2018 to 77% in 2022. On the vaccination side, the anti Covid-19 one is provided by 38% of pharmacies and the one against the flu in 40%.
More than half of the pharmacists are in favor of introducing drugs against Herpes Zoster, Papilloma virus and Pneumococcus.
"Citizens' response is encouraging: 3 out of 10 have participated in at least one of the prevention programs in pharmacies, and 7 out of 10 would also like to have other vaccinations in pharmacies in addition to those available today", comments Anna Lisa Mandorino, general secretary of Cittadinanzattiva .
"There is widespread awareness of the pharmacy as the first presidium of proximity and interest in its evolution in the area of territorial health. In this process - says the president of Federfarma Marco Cossolo - a key role belongs to telemedicine and the screening campaigns that now they are part of the daily activity of the pharmacist. However, these services must be adequately recognized and valued".