The College of Pharmacy discussed the MSc thesis entitled “Evaluation of the Impact of an Educational Intervention on Enhancing Pharmacist Counseling for Patients Using Saxenda® (Liraglutide)” by the student Abdullah Saad Turki and the supervisor, Assistant Professor Dr. Ehab Mudher Mikhael, at the Clinical Pharmacy Department.
The study aimed to explore the current practices of community pharmacists in providing patient education regarding the use of Saxenda® for weight loss, identify the major gaps and barriers they face in this area, develop a structured educational program tailored to pharmacists’ actual needs to improve their skills in educating and counseling patients on the safe , effective use of the medication.
The study included a mixed-methods study with an exploratory sequential design was conducted in community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq. The initial qualitative phase involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews using an interview guide that was validated by experts to identify current practices and major barriers. Based on the findings, a targeted educational program was subsequently developed. In the subsequent phase, a quantitative quasi-experimental pre-post design using a simulated patient approach was employed to evaluate the impact of the educational program through a checklist specifically designed and validated for this purpose.
The results showed that community pharmacists in Baghdad did not provide adequate patient education regarding Saxenda®. The developed educational program was effective in enhancing pharmacists’ patient education and counseling skills across all aspects of patient education , significantly improving their proactive care for patients using Saxenda®. These improvements were independent of demographic and professional variables, including age, years of experience, academic background (type of college).
The study recommends conducting longitudinal research to assess the sustainability of the training effect , determine optimal refresher intervals. It calls on the Iraqi Pharmacists Syndicate and the Ministry of Health to adopt and nationally implement pharmaceutical education programs, establish mandatory standards and checklists during medication dispensing to ensure the safe use of anti-obesity medications, implement clear policies that strengthen pharmacists’ roles and responsibilities in proactive patient education.
