Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 9, 2025
An Affordable HIV-1 Drug Resistance Monitoring Method for Resource Limited Settings
Published on: March 30, 2014
Implementation and acceptance of pharmacists' prescribing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure
Mackenzie d'Entremont-Harris1, Tasha Diana Ramsey1,2, Kathleen MacNabb1
1Pharmacy Department, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS.
Background:
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is highly effective at reducing the risk of acquiring HIV. PrEP is underused due, in part, to prescriber inaccessibility. The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist PrEP management (including prescribing and monitoring) on clinical and acceptance outcomes in patients who are at high risk for HIV exposure.
Methods:
Pharmacist-led PrEP management was guided by a prescribing protocol and implemented at 10 community pharmacies in Nova Scotia over 6 months. Baseline and follow-up bloodwork determined HIV status, coinfection(s), and other eligibility criteria for initial and refill PrEP prescriptions. Patient acceptance was measured according to the theoretical framework for acceptability of health care interventions.
Results:
Forty-five participants met eligibility criteria, and 37 remained for the study duration. Around half of the participants had never used PrEP before, and all identified as men who have sex with men or transgender women. Participants were highly accepting of the service and agreed that pharmacist-led PrEP management should always be available. Few reported privacy or stigma/discrimination concerns. All participants remained HIV-negative during study participation, and participants with coinfections were linked with care (n = 4).
Interpretation:
The service was acceptable and effective for patients. Future work is required to reach underserved populations, particularly individuals with injection-related HIV risk factors.
Conclusions:
Pharmacist-led PrEP management can provide an alternative way to obtain PrEP for higher-risk patients. This study resulted in a regulation change on July 1, 2024 that authorized pharmacists to prescribe PrEP in Nova Scotia.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
01:19Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
01:26Drug Administration and Therapy Phases: Overview
The pharmaceutical phase focuses on leveraging the physicochemical properties of the drug to design and manufacture an effective product. Variants include orally administered tablets or capsules, topical creams or ointments, and parenteral-delivery solutions or emulsions.
The pharmacokinetic phase...
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
01:15Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
01:17Healthcare Agencies II
Parish nursing is a growing specialty nursing profession that focuses on holistic healthcare, health promotion, and illness prevention. It blends professional nursing practice with a health ministry, focusing on health and healing within the context of a Christian community. Parish nurses serve as health educators, referral sources,...