Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy (03/25) Vol. 17 Marley, Grace; Viracola, Cheryl; Bryce, Ainsley; et al.

The inherent dangers of illicit narcotic use are compounded by growing contamination of the drug supply with fentanyl and xylazine, leading to a surge in fatal overdoses. Easy-to-use test strips detect the presence of either substance, and their availability through pharmacies has life-saving potential. Despite strong interest, pharmacists lack guidance and/or training to support them in the sale of these simple diagnostics and their ability to counsel others on their use. Common barriers include limited familiarity with the product, qualms about approaching the sensitive subject of illegal drug use, and concerns surrounding logistics and pharmacy workflow. To address these gaps, a small team of community pharmacists, harm reduction specialists, and other stakeholders in North Carolina collaborated on the development of a self-paced online training. The co-design approach proved invaluable in reaching a workable solution. The involvement of practicing community pharmacists ensured the training was relevant to and feasible for the pharmacy setting, harm reduction experts represented the interests of users, and critical input from the state Board of Pharmacists kept the project within legal lines. The 30-minute webinar — featuring six modules, including short videos, that address topics such as pharmacy participation and testing best practices — was completed in less than 7 months.

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