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Updated: Feb 22, 2026
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Comprehensive Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Placenta-Targeted Drug Delivery Using Three Complementary Methods
Published on: September 10, 2018
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Medical abortion can be provided safely and effectively by pharmacy workers trained within a harm reduction
Anand Tamang1, Mahesh Puri1, Sazina Masud2
1Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA), Kusunti, Lalitpur-13, P.O. Box 9626, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Contraception
|September 23, 2017
Summary
Pharmacists can safely and effectively provide medical abortion (MA) pills, with high patient satisfaction. This approach proved successful even years after initial training, highlighting the value of pharmacists in reproductive healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Medical abortion (MA) access is crucial for reproductive healthcare.
- Pharmacists can play a significant role in dispensing and counseling for MA.
- Harm reduction approaches can enhance the safety and efficacy of MA services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and satisfaction of medical abortion (MA) pills dispensed by pharmacists.
- To assess the long-term impact of pharmacist training on MA provision.
- To compare outcomes between women receiving MA from trained pharmacists in different cohorts.
Main Methods:
- An operations research study with a non-inferiority design.
- Training provided to pharmacy workers on dispensing MA pills using a harm reduction approach.
- Comparison of outcomes (complete abortion, safety, satisfaction) between two groups of women served by trained pharmacists.
Main Results:
- High rates of complete abortion (96.9% and 98.8%) with no statistically significant difference between groups.
- No serious adverse events reported, indicating a high safety profile.
- High levels of patient satisfaction reported in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Trained pharmacists can safely and effectively provide MA pills, leading to high client satisfaction.
- The positive outcomes of pharmacist training for MA provision are sustainable over time.
- Recognizing and enabling pharmacists as key providers of MA is essential for improving access to first-trimester abortion care.
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