/library/oar/handle/123456789/477 2025-12-23T12:47:23Z 2025-12-23T12:47:23Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/142169 2025-12-12T13:05:16Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Artificial intelligence in pharmacy Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology within the pharmaceutical sciences, offering innovative solutions across drug discovery, personalised medicine, clinical trials, and pharmacy operations. The increasing complexity of healthcare demands more efficient, accurate, and patient-centred approaches, and AI provides tools capable of analysing vast datasets, predicting therapeutic outcomes, and optimizing decision-making processes. This thesis explores the application of AI in pharmacy, with a specific focus on its roles in drug discovery and development, personalised medicine predictive analytics, patient centred care, pharmaceutical operations and pharmacy practice. It also examines the challenges surrounding AI adoption, including regulatory, ethical, and data-related concerns. This research used a literature review to gather relevant studies on AI application in pharmacy. The search included articles published between 2015 and 2024, sourced from databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar. Keywords included Artificial intelligence in pharmacy, AI in drug discovery, personalised medicine. AI has shown measurable benefits in accelerating drug target identification, optimizing clinical trials, and tailoring therapies using genomic data. Notable tools such as DeepMind’s AlphaFold and IBM Watson for Oncology exemplify AI’s potential in reducing development time and supporting personalized treatment. In pharmacy practice, AI-enabled clinical decision support systems (CDSS), chatbots, and computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) have reduced medication errors and improved patient counselling. Nevertheless, concerns persist around data privacy, algorithmic bias, model interpretability, and cost of implementation. AI presents substantial opportunities for enhancing efficiency, safety, and innovation within pharmacy practice. By addressing current challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration and regulatory advancements, AI can further revolutionize pharmaceutical research, development, and patient care, ultimately improving health outcomes and operational efficiency across the sector. Description: M.Pharm.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/142168 2025-12-12T13:01:49Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Opportunities for telepharmacy Abstract: Telepharmacy, the provision of pharmaceutical care through telecommunications to patients in locations where they may not have direct contact with a pharmacist, is gaining momentum globally. This dissertation investigates the opportunities, challenges, and policy implications of telepharmacy implementation across five countries India, China, Spain, Germany, and Sweden representing diverse healthcare systems, income levels, and digital readiness. Through a literature review of over 36 peer reviewed studies, government policy documents, and global health reports, this research examines key themes including access to pharmaceutical care, medication safety, cost-effectiveness, digital infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. The findings indicate that telepharmacy enhances medication access and continuity of care, particularly in underserved rural regions, and contributes significantly to improving medication adherence and safety. Spain, Germany, and Sweden demonstrate mature telepharmacy systems integrated within national e-health strategies, while India and China exhibit innovative yet fragmented adoption patterns, with rural infrastructure and policy gaps acting as major barriers. A thematic analysis reveals that regulatory clarity, digital infrastructure, pharmacist training, and patient digital literacy are central to successful implementation. The study also finds that telepharmacy aligns well with global health targets such as Universal Health Coverage and the WHO's digital health strategies. It underscores the need for formal policy development, public-private collaboration, and national training frameworks to ensure sustainable integration. By presenting a comparative analysis supported by country specific data and international best practices, this dissertation provides strategic insights for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and academic stakeholders. It advocates for mainstreaming telepharmacy as a core health service delivery model to bridge access gaps, improve pharmaceutical care, and build resilient healthcare systems in a digitally transforming world. Description: M.Pharm.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/142167 2025-12-12T12:53:28Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Mapping the FIP Nanjing Statements Abstract: The International Pharmaceutical Federation’s Nanjing Statements set out 67 expectations across eight clusters to guide reform of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education. They are intended to move systems from policy aspiration to routine, auditable practice through outcomes, assessment, experiential learning, educator development, quality assurance, and continuing professional development. To map how the Nanjing Statements are being used to improve pharmacy education and to identify the main challenges encountered during application. A literature review synthesised documents drawn from Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and authoritative grey literature. English-language items (2016–2025) that explicitly referenced the Nanjing Statements or demonstrated enactment of one or more Nanjing clusters were eligible. From an initial 512 records, 373 were excluded by year of publication, 18 were non English, 82 were irrelevant, and 9 were duplicates. Following full-text screening, 30 articles and official documents were included. Data were extracted systematically and analysed using thematic synthesis. Four major themes emerged, Curriculum adaptation and policy alignment: HICs primarily used the Statements as a validation/benchmarking tool, while LMICs pursued transformative curricular reform. Institutional utilisation for quality assurance and benchmarking: Nanjing and related FIP frameworks were increasingly applied in accreditation, CPD, and self-assessment. Barriers: resource constraints, faculty shortages, weak QA systems, and regulatory misalignment were identified as the most persistent challenges. Regional disparities: while HICs demonstrated incremental refinement, LMICs faced systemic obstacles but also showed innovation when reforms were tailored to local needs and supported by partnerships. The review highlights both the promise and limitations of the Nanjing Statements as a tool for global educational reform. They provide a shared vision, but their effectiveness depends on localisation, resource investment, and faculty development. Unless structural barriers are addressed, disparities in pharmacy education and workforce readiness will persist, undermining progress towards universal health coverage. Strengthening implementation through international collaboration, sustainable funding, and regulatory reform will be key to realising the full potential of the Nanjing Statements in shaping a globally competent pharmaceutical workforce. Description: M.Pharm.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/142165 2025-12-12T12:43:14Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A comparison of the US Pharmacopeia and the European Pharmacopeia Abstract: The United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP–NF) and the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) are significant to compare, as both serve as essential reference guides for numerous member states and countries, in addition to other national and regional pharmacopoeias. The study employed a qualitative comparative documentary analysis, utilizing a "Compressed Vertical Analysis" approach, to compare the Hypromellose and Povidone monographs. Hypromellose and povidone were selected as model excipients to explore the complexities of pharmacopeial harmonization. Hypromellose, a widely used polymer in solid oral dosage forms, offers broad applicability and analytical richness due to its complex polymeric structure and diverse test parameters, including chemical assays and viscosity. In contrast, povidone, officially designated as a harmonized monograph (PDG code E-32), provides a case study in the practical challenges of harmonization. Despite its formal status, the monograph exhibits notable differences in identification methods and K-value determination across pharmacopoeias, underscoring persistent compendial divergences and their industrial implications. The study followed a three-stage analytical procedure: granular-level monograph comparison, mid-level general chapter contextualization, and high-level interpretive linking to regulatory and philosophical frameworks. Results indicate significant harmonization in core quality attributes. For both excipients, fundamental definitions are aligned. Hypromellose's assay and viscosity determinations are fully harmonized, as are Povidone's nitrogen content assay and several impurity limits. However, notable divergences persist. Povidone exhibits distinct identification schemes, with USP-NF retaining non-harmonized national tests, and subtle differences in K-value sample preparation. Hypromellose shows structural differences, such as the Ph. Eur.'s explicit "Characters" section and "Appearance of Solution" test, absent in USP-NF. A key philosophical divergence is the Ph. Eur.'s inclusion of non-mandatory Functionality Related Characteristics (FRC) sections, absent in USP-NF monographs, reflecting different approaches to excipient performance guidance. This study highlights the ongoing complexity in global pharmacopeial standards. It emphasizes that 'harmonized' does not imply 'interchangeable,' necessitating a nuanced industry approach that considers both compendial requirements and a scientific understanding of excipient functionality for improved public health outcomes. Description: M.Pharm.(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z