Frontiers in digital health · 2026
Artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice in the Middle East: a scoping review of applications, adoption, barriers, and future directions.
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Alhomoud Faten
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming pharmacy practice by supporting medication management, clinical decision-making, patient education, and pharmacy operations. Although AI research in the Middle East has expanded rapidly, the evidence remains fragmented across countries, technologies, and practice settings. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the current evidence on AI applications, adoption, perceived benefits, implementation barriers, and ethical and regulatory considerations in pharmacy practice across the Middle East.
METHODS: A scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for English-language studies investigating AI in pharmacy practice in Middle Eastern countries. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. Findings were synthesized narratively according to AI applications, utilization, pharmacists' awareness and attitudes, perceived benefits, implementation barriers, ethical and regulatory issues, and future research priorities.
RESULTS: A total of 15 studies published between 2023 and 2026, involving 8,117 participants across multiple Middle Eastern countries, were included. Most studies were cross-sectional surveys (93.3%) evaluating pharmacists' awareness, perceptions, and readiness to adopt AI. ChatGPT and large language models were the most frequently investigated technologies, primarily supporting medication information, patient counselling, medication management, and clinical decision support, while AI-enabled robotics focused on dispensing and pharmacy operations. Pharmacists generally demonstrated high awareness and positive attitudes toward AI, and some studies reported previous or individual use; however, evidence of routine use and organization-level implementation remained limited. Perceived benefits included improved clinical decision-making, medication safety, and workflow efficiency, whereas major barriers included inadequate AI training, limited technological infrastructure, implementation costs, organizational readiness, and concerns regarding privacy, cybersecurity, algorithmic bias, transparency, and professional accountability.
CONCLUSION: AI has considerable potential to enhance pharmacy practice across the Middle East, but implementation remains at an early stage, with the available literature predominantly reflecting pharmacists' perceptions of anticipated benefits rather than evidence of demonstrated clinical effectiveness. Strengthening AI education, digital infrastructure, governance frameworks, and implementation research will be essential to support the safe, ethical, and evidence-based integration of AI into pharmacy practice.
METHODS: A scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for English-language studies investigating AI in pharmacy practice in Middle Eastern countries. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. Findings were synthesized narratively according to AI applications, utilization, pharmacists' awareness and attitudes, perceived benefits, implementation barriers, ethical and regulatory issues, and future research priorities.
RESULTS: A total of 15 studies published between 2023 and 2026, involving 8,117 participants across multiple Middle Eastern countries, were included. Most studies were cross-sectional surveys (93.3%) evaluating pharmacists' awareness, perceptions, and readiness to adopt AI. ChatGPT and large language models were the most frequently investigated technologies, primarily supporting medication information, patient counselling, medication management, and clinical decision support, while AI-enabled robotics focused on dispensing and pharmacy operations. Pharmacists generally demonstrated high awareness and positive attitudes toward AI, and some studies reported previous or individual use; however, evidence of routine use and organization-level implementation remained limited. Perceived benefits included improved clinical decision-making, medication safety, and workflow efficiency, whereas major barriers included inadequate AI training, limited technological infrastructure, implementation costs, organizational readiness, and concerns regarding privacy, cybersecurity, algorithmic bias, transparency, and professional accountability.
CONCLUSION: AI has considerable potential to enhance pharmacy practice across the Middle East, but implementation remains at an early stage, with the available literature predominantly reflecting pharmacists' perceptions of anticipated benefits rather than evidence of demonstrated clinical effectiveness. Strengthening AI education, digital infrastructure, governance frameworks, and implementation research will be essential to support the safe, ethical, and evidence-based integration of AI into pharmacy practice.