ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has sought feedback from the public and relevant stakeholders to finalise guidelines for hospital pharmacies.

According to DRAP, these standards are aimed at ensuring consistent, high-quality pharmacy services across the country in public and private hospitals, ultimately, benefiting patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

The public announcement stated: DRAP invites you to review the proposed guidelines and share your thoughts and suggestions. Your input will be invaluable in shaping the final document and ensuring it reflects the needs and expectations of patients, healthcare professionals, and the community.

The DRAP is to set hospital pharmacy guidelines in following four key areas: (i) Hospital Pharmacy Operations which include aspects like organizational structure, staffing, resources, policies, and procedures for managing medications from procurement and storage to dispensing and monitoring.

(ii) Medicine Use Management where the focus is on optimizing medication use within the hospital. This involves procedures for medication reconciliation, identifying potential issues, and implementing strategies to improve medication effectiveness and avoid medication-related harm.

(iii) Quality Improvement with believe in continuous improvement! These guidelines outline practices for assessing the effectiveness of hospital pharmacy services, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing corrective actions.And,

(iv) Human Resources Development for ensuring a competent and skilled pharmacy workforce is crucial. The guidelines address training and development programmes for all pharmacy personnel, from pharmacists to technicians. However, the health regulator has not given any timeline for the proposals.

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