Pharmacists reinventing their roles to effectively respond to COVID-19: a global report from the international pharmacists for anticoagulation care taskforce (iPACT).

SARS-CoV2 is dramatically impacting the global population. Worldwide, pharmacists are changing their roles and being increasingly recognized for their role as essential service providers. This commentary provides some examples collected from Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa, ranging from essential services to meet human rights basic needs, extended generalist services developed to ensure continuity of care and supply of essential medicines to the development of differentiated extended responsibilities in emergency care. All examples were collected using a network of pharmacists from 27 countries, representing various areas of pharmacy practice, education and research and outreaching to include patient advocates. Selected services illustrate good practice, capability to adapt and contribution to universal health coverage. Above all, it demonstrates the commitment and innovation of the pharmaceutical workforce in the fight against COVID-19.

Correction to: Pharmacists' confidence when providing pharmaceutical care on anticoagulants, a multinational survey.

In the original publication of this article, the article note has been missed and published online.

Pharmacists' confidence when providing pharmaceutical care on anticoagulants, a multinational survey.

Background Guidelines on the management of orally anticoagulated patients are continuously evolving, leading to an increased need for pharmacists to be fully integrated in care provision. Objective To identify self-reported gaps in confidence among practicing pharmacists in the area of anticoagulation. Setting Pharmacists in different work settings in different countries. Method Cross-sectional international survey from October 2015 till November 2016 among pharmacists working in different settings to assess their level of confidence when delivering anticoagulants as well as to identify possible educational needs regarding this medication class. Validation of the survey was ensured. Results Responses from 4212 pharmacists originating from 18 countries were obtained. Pharmacists' level of confidence was significantly higher (p < 0.001) when advising patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) versus non-vitamin K antagonists (NOACs). In general, hospital pharmacists displayed higher confidence levels compared to community pharmacists when advising patients on anticoagulation (p < 0.001). Two distinct patterns of confidence levels emerged relating to basic and advanced pharmaceutical care. Confidence levels when providing advanced pharmaceutical care were significantly higher for Oceania and lower for South America (p < 0.005). Conclusions Pharmacists felt more confident in supporting patients receiving VKAs compared to the more recently introduced NOACs. With the increasing use of NOACs and the risks pertaining to anticoagulation therapy, it is essential to invest in education for pharmacists to address their knowledge gaps enabling them to confidently support patients receiving oral anticoagulants.