[Pharmacists' use of embryotox.de in routine healthcare].

BACKGROUND

Embryotox.de offers evidence-based information on drug safety during pregnancy and lactation free of charge and independent from pharmaceutical industry. There are more than five million users per year. Utilization of embryotox.de in routine healthcare was investigated in a mixed-methods study funded by the G-BA Innovation Fund. The following sub-analysis focuses on the use by pharmacists.

METHODS

User feedback was obtained by two different online questionnaires (multiple choice options or ratings on a Likert Scale ranging from 0 "not at all" to 10 "completely"). Questionnaire 1 included questions on user characteristics, clinical circumstances, comprehensibility and consequences of use, while questionnaire 2 asked about typical situations of use and applications of retrieved information. For this analysis, all questionnaires answered by pharmacists were evaluated using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 550 pharmacists completed online questionnaire 1, 87.3% of whom (n=480/550) worked in community pharmacies. Medication for cough and cold symptoms (19.3%, n=106/550) and non-opioid analgesics (16.9%, n=93/550) were most frequently inquired. 57.1% (n=314/550) reported that their risk perception of a given drug had changed after reading the respective fact sheet. Pharmacists' mean rating of fact sheet comprehensibility was 9.25 (Likert scale from 0 to 10). 79 pharmacists completed online questionnaire 2. 93.7% (n=74/79) considered embryotox.de helpful for informing and, if necessary, reassuring worried patients. They also used embryotox.de to pass on selected information to patients (79.7%, n=63/79), to check prescription drugs before dispensing (57.0%, n=45/79) and to consult with prescribing doctors in cases of critical medications (58.2%, n=46/79).

CONCLUSION

Community pharmacists obtain relevant information from embryotox.de on risk and safety of OTC and prescription drugs in pregnancy and lactation. Embryotox.de thus supports pharmacists in counselling pregnant and breastfeeding patients and ensuring safe and rational drug treatment.