Pharmacy-Based Harm Reduction Services

Uses

How it works

Benefits

Risks & contraindications

Evidence quality

Highlighted claims

• Pharmacists were the dominant focus of the literature, while pharmacy technicians and assistants were rarely studied. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff
• Pharmacy staff are highly accessible healthcare providers due to their presence in community pharmacies with extended hours, hospital settings, multidisciplinary teams, outreach models, and community-facing services. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff
• Pharmacy staff roles in harm reduction span from education, counselling, and dispensing to autonomous prescribing, medication management, and drug-checking services. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff
• Common implementation barriers include reimbursement difficulties, lack of private space, limited training, and stigma toward people who use drugs. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff
• Key implementation enablers for pharmacy-based harm reduction include multidisciplinary teamwork, leadership support, staff champions, harm reduction partnerships, and trauma-informed care. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff
• Harm reduction services delivered by pharmacy staff were generally reported as feasible, effective, and safe across included studies. — Harm reduction and pharmacy practice: a scoping review of services for people who use drugs provided by pharmacy staff