Current Situation for Pharmacists in Japanese Veterinary Medicine: Exploring the Pharmaceutical Needs and Challenges of Veterinary Staff to Facilitate Collaborative Veterinary Care
2024

Pharmacists in Japanese Veterinary Medicine

Sample size: 541 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Konno Taisuke, Suzuki Hiroyuki, Suzuki Naoto, Okada Kouji, Nishikawa Yosuke, Kikuchi Daisuke, Nakamura Hitoshi, Murai Yuriko

Primary Institution: Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University

Hypothesis

What is the current state of pharmacy involvement in small-animal medical care in Japan?

Conclusion

Pharmacists have the potential to play a significant role in veterinary medicine in Japan, but their involvement is currently limited.

Supporting Evidence

  • 72.2% of veterinary staff expressed a strong demand for consultations with pharmacists regarding medication issues.
  • 57.1% of veterinary hospital staff considered pharmacists' involvement in companion animal healthcare.
  • Only 2.3% of veterinary hospitals reported having pharmacists on staff.

Takeaway

In Japan, pharmacists can help take care of pets, but not many are doing it yet. They need to work together with veterinarians to make pet care better.

Methodology

Two surveys were conducted targeting pharmacy and veterinary staff to assess the involvement of pharmacists in veterinary care.

Potential Biases

Responses may be biased due to the perceptions of pharmacist employment in larger animal hospitals.

Limitations

The response rates were lower than ideal, which may affect the statistical power of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Responses were collected from pharmacy staff and veterinary hospital personnel across various regions in Japan.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3390/pharmacy12060179

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