Telefarmacia como estrategia de dispensación coordinada entre Farmacia Hospitalaria y Atención Primaria / Telepharmacy as a strategy for co-ordinated dispensing between Hospital Pharmacy and Primary Care

A partir de la publicación de la Orden Ministerial SND/293/2020,del 25 de marzo, tras la declaración de la emergencia sanitariapor SARS-CoV-2 en España, se diseñaron una serie de medidasque garantizaran la restricción de movilidad de la población sinperjuicio del acceso a los medicamentos hospitalarios. Así, a raízde dicha publicación, en el Servicio de Farmacia Hospitalaria delHospital SAS La Línea se desarrolló un programa de Telefarmaciacon puntos de dispensación en los centros de Atención Primariaadscritos y una consulta telefónica de Atención Farmacéutica.Se realizaron un total de 1.007 dispensaciones en 301 pacientesdurante el periodo de estudio comprendido entre el 1 de julio al15 de noviembre de 2020. Así, al finalizar dicho periodo, 235fueron los pacientes que permanecieron incluidos en el programa de Telefarmacia con una edad media de 64 años y un54,5% (128) mujeres. A estos pacientes, se les enviaron por correo postal una encuesta de satisfacción que podrían devolvervoluntaria y anónimamente al Servicio de Farmacia. Se recibieronun total de 62 encuestas, mostrándose los pacientes satisfechosen un 96,77% (60) con el servicio de entrega, 90,32% (56) conel trato recibido, 87,10% (54) con la puntualidad y 98,39% (61)con las condiciones de conservación en el Centro de Salud.El alto grado de satisfacción de los pacientes encuestadosrefleja que el nuevo programa de Telefarmacia podrían responder a las necesidades individuales de los pacientes,siendo para ello fundamental la coordinación de todos losprofesionales implicados, así como la corresponsabilidad delos pacientes en el control de sus tratamientos.Con los resultados obtenidos en el presente estudio, parece justificado mantener en el futuro los centros de atención primariacomo punto de dispensación junto con un mayor desarrollo dela consulta no presencial de Atención Farmacéutica. (AU)

As of the publication of Ministerial OrderSND/293/2020, of March 25, after thedeclaration of the health emergency dueto SARS-CoV-2 in Spain, a series of measures were designed to guarantee therestriction of population mobility withoutprejudice to access to hospital medications. Thus, as a result of said publication,a telepharmacy program was developedat the clinical pharmacy service of theHospital SAS La Línea with dispensingpoints in the attached Primary Care centers and a Pharmaceutical Care Telephone Consultation.A total of 1,007 dispensations weremade in 301 patients during the studyperiod from July 1 to November 15,2020. Thus, at the end of that period,235 were the patients who remainedincluded in the Telepharmacy programwith a mean age 64 years and 54.5%(128) women. A satisfaction survey wassent to these patients by post, whichthey could return voluntarily and anonymously to the pharmacy service. A totalof 62 surveys were received, showing96.77% (60) satisfied patients with thedelivery service, 90.32% (56) with theattention received, 87.10% (54) withthe punctuality and 98.39% (61) withthe conditions of conservation in thehealth center.The high degree of satisfaction of thesurveyed patients reflects that the newTelepharmacy program could respondto the individual needs of the patients,being essential for this the coordinationof all the professionals involved, as wellas the co-responsibility of the patientsin the control of their treatments.With the results obtained in the present study, it seems justified in the future to maintain primary care centersas a dispensing point together with afurther development of the non-faceto-face consultation of PharmaceuticalCare. (AU)

Indirect comparison of biological treatments in refractory rheumatoid arthritis.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: A number of biological treatments are available for rheumatoid arthritis. They are effective some patients but their comparative efficacy is inadequately evaluated. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, abatacept, tocilizumab, golimumab and certolizumab pegol in rheumatoid arthritis, refractory to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), through a systematic review of published trials. METHODS: As there were no direct comparisons, we searched for studies with similar characteristics to identify trials with results suitable for indirect comparison. Randomized, placebo-controlled pivotal clinical trials, with reported American College of Rheumatology ACR50 data at 24/30 weeks as efficacy endpoint, approved clinical doses and patients resistant to DMARDs who had not previously received other biological treatments were included. ACR50 was defined as the primary endpoint for the indirect comparison, with ACR20 and ACR70 as secondary endpoints. When two or more trials on one same drug were available, and a combined analysis was performed when appropriate. In the indirect comparison, the Bucher adjusted method was used with etanercept as reference drug. In the equivalence study, the equivalence window was a response efficacy difference of 15% between the alternatives. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Ten trials were found suitable for detailed analysis. In the clinical trials, all the biological drugs were seen to be more effective than placebo. Indirect comparison based on the ACR50 efficacy criterion all biological treatments showed similar results within the defined equivalence Δ value. The absolute efficacy difference (reduction of absolute risk, RAR) versus etanercept being 2·6% with adalimumab, 14% with infliximab, 11·6% with abatacept, 3% with tocilizumab, 12·4% with golimumab and 6·5% with certolizumab pegol. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The biological drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis are no different in efficacy. Their therapeutic positioning depends on their relative safety and convenience profiles.