Editorial

From the desk of the editor

Welcome to the May 2012 homepage edition of i2P-Information to Pharmacists. Rollo Manning has been having some time out having staples removed from the site of his open heart surgery.He is now at home recuperating in Darwin, having arrived home last Friday, beating a cold and hasty retreat from Canberra.We all wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully, he will be fit enough to contribute by next month.
This month, Pharmedia discusses the toll that is taken when someone complains about you to an authority without good cause. Well, the good news is that you can now take action to protect yourself if such a complaint is made, and that may even include action for defamation. Read about a recent case involving two doctors, with Mark Coleman drawing on personal experience to illustrate.

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It’s Time!

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Gerald Quigley articles by this author...

Gerald Quigley is a Melbourne-based pharmacist who has a strong interest in complementary medicine. He is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, The National Herbalists Association of Australia and The Australian Traditional Medicine Society. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Pharmacy. Up to the year 2000, Gerald operated community pharmacies in partnership with his wife Philippa but has since diversified into health broadcasting (Radio 3AW), writing (Retail Pharmacy and a wide variety of health and lifestyle magazines) and various consultancies as an integrative pharmacist and medical herbalist. He also lectures at GippsTAFE on weight management and complementary medicines.

Yes folks, the time is here.
Either we re-focus on our usefulness within the health care team, or we continue to be peripheral watchers from the outside, wondering why other professions get all the kudo!
Why is a particular professional group involved in these discussions on health, and why is another given a vital role to play in this disease and their members get a provider number to claim their professional service fees?

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I want to focus on the issue of complementary medicines.

This isn’t an advertisement for a particular company, but now that Flordis has become serious in the pharmacist market (note that I didn’t say the “pharmacy” market!), there is absolutely no excuse for a pharmacist to plead ignorance on the role of herbal medicine in health.
The research which is available for this range of products is irrefutable, and it’s there freely available. 

For example, the role of Iberogast in gut health is endorsed by the Gut Foundation.
This group isn’t some fly-by-nighter who gets exposure on the current affair television shows.
This is a serious player here.
Have a look at the health outcomes of patients using Iberogast, compared to those using PPI’s.
Give your patient a choice, and you’ll be surprised at the outcome. 
And there’s other outstanding, well researched and clinically trialled herbal products in their range as well.

But, we have to start using these options in a professional way.
We have to help out patients use these types of products to maintain their health.
That means recording their details on a patient history file, being proud of the margin offered, and considering a patient fee for professional advice.
Products like these can’t be mere items of retail.
That’s part of our image problem!
It seems that we’re just retailers now.
Good grief! How have we allowed this to happen?
Is this why we have been removed from aspects of patient care?
Do other health professionals take us seriously?
If not, why not?
Have we asked them?
Have our professional bodies sought some explanations?
If they respected us, wouldn’t they be demanding our presence in health discussions, especially those which affect our future as pharmacists?

More seriously though, if we don’t grasp the opportunity available, this window may shut.
Academic forces are concerned that the benefits of complementary medicines might be considered by patients who are taking some health responsibility.
Nothing would please these forces more, than if all complementary medicines were removed from the realm and responsibility of the pharmacist, and the Australian consumer be forced to “ask your doctor”, many of whom have no idea about complementary medicines.
After all, we can’t have consumers seeking options, asking questions, expressing concerns or taking responsibility can we?

“Formalizing” the information pharmacists need to gain credibility here might mean seeking to link with some general practitioner organizations like the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.
They educate GPs and others about being an “integrative practitioner”, so why can’t we have “integrative practitioner pharmacists”?
Maybe, our own Association, or as an adjunctive group linked to ACNEM?

Part of the issue here is this entire “patient focused” view, which is seriously omitted from the current educational streams.
Natural therapists actually listen, they reinforce, they reassure and they guide.
That’s what we pharmacists need to re-learn.
This aspect of pharmacist’s care was fundamental once, but it’s been hijacked by the system.
It’s all about symptoms now….disease states, complicated names, acronyms, de-personalization. 

If we don’t wake up soon, an important aspect of nutritional care will be removed from our arena.
If we really, really care about our patients, then we’ll understand their needs.
If you don’t already, then I dare you to actually ask them.
Formulate a questionnaire, and ask for feedback on things like:

* How can I play a more important role in your health?

* If I could identify nutritional deficiencies caused by your prescribed medicines, would you allow me to give you appropriate recommendations?

* If I could highlight lifestyle changes to help you regain your quality of life, would you allow me to discuss those with you?

* If I could outline some natural therapies which will maintain your health, would that be important to you?

* If I started health information sessions, would you attend?

 ……and the list goes on.

Your future role in complementary health is in your hands.
Don’t sit back and expect the “system” to take care of itself.
It’s time we accepted our responsibility in health.
Yes, it’s time!

From Wikipedia

Iberogast, also known as STW 5, is a prokineticIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia liquid formulation of nine herbs indicated for

A proprietary blend, it was developed in Germany in 1961 and is available (without prescription) in other countries. Named after the genus (Iberis) of one of its ingredients, it has been the subject of several clinical studies on its effect on the intestine.^[1] It has been shown to ameliorate symptoms of IBS and dyspepsia by improving motility via increased fundic accommodation and increased tonicity. 

In clinical trials, STW 5 has been proven effective in protecting against inflammatory lesions in oesophagitis. Researchers have stated that the results warrant further research of its potential therapeutic usefulness in GERD.^[2]

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