SynthesisBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2022
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of community pharmacist-led interventions to optimise the use of antibiotics.
Synthesis in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.
- Primary health care roles of community pharmacists in low- and middle-income countries: a mixed methods systematic review.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- A systematic literature review of economic evaluation studies of interventions impacting antimicrobial resistance.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2023Pooled it
- A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of community pharmacist-led interventions to optimise the use of antibiotics.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2022Pooled it
- Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Antibiotic Use and Antibiotic Resistance Among Adults in Communities of Montserrado County, Liberia: A Household-Based Cross-Sectional Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Impact of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Patient Outcomes in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Second audit of the Happy Patient project: impact of training on the dispensing of antibiotics in community pharmacies in Spain.Farmaceuticos comunitarios · 2026Article
- Knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance among patients in rural South Africa and the implications for future policies.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Developing a Pharmacist-Centered Novel Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Approach for Healthcare in Pakistan: A Grounded Theory Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The role of the community pharmacist in antibiotic use - a commentary on current status and future perspectives.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2025Article
- How can community pharmacists improve antibiotic use among outpatients? A qualitative study of pharmacists' clinical reasoning.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2025Article
- Design and development of a mobile application for drug information and other health data for users and patients of pharmacies and outpatient pharmaceutical services.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2025Article
- Antimicrobial stewardship interventions involving community pharmacy teams: a scoping review.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2025Review
- Utilisation of antibiotics in a community pharmacy: A case from north-west, South Africa.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Impact of hospital payment reform on rational use of antibiotics: a natural experiment.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Pharmaceutical Care Services in Community Pharmacies: An Umbrella Review of Global Evidence with Insights from Polish and Spanish Practices.Integrated pharmacy research & practice · 2025Review
- A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials: Can Patient Adherence to Antibiotics Be Improved Through Pharmaceutical Communication-Based Interventions?Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- The impact of a multi-faceted intervention on non-prescription dispensing of antibiotics by urban community pharmacies in Indonesia: a mixed methods evaluation.BMJ global health · 2024Article
- Influences on use of antibiotics without prescription by the public in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative evidence.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2024Review
- Validity and Reliability of a Questionnaire on Attitudes, Knowledge, and Perceptions of Pharmacy Students Regarding the Training Received on Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance during Their University Studies.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- The pharmacists' interventions after a Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) establishment during the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsThe aim of this systematic review is to assess the effects of community pharmacist-led interventions to optimise the use of antibiotics and identify which interventions are most effective.
methodsThis review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42020188552). PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for (randomised) controlled trials. Included interventions were required to target antibiotic use, be set in the community pharmacy context, and be pharmacist-led. Primary outcomes were quality of antibiotic supply and adverse effects while secondary outcomes included patient-reported outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using the 'Cochrane suggested risk of bias criteria' and narrative synthesis of primary outcomes conducted.
resultsSeventeen studies were included covering in total 3822 patients (mean age 45.6 years, 61.9% female). Most studies used educational interventions. Three studies reported on primary outcomes, 12 on secondary outcomes and two on both. Three studies reported improvements in quality of dispensing, interventions led to more intensive symptom assessment (up to 30% more advice given) and a reduction of over-the-counter supply up to 53%. Three studies led to higher consumer satisfaction, effects on adherence from nine studies were mixed (risk difference 0.04 [-0.02, 0.10]). All studies had unclear or high risks of bias across at least one domain, with large heterogeneity between studies.
conclusionsOur review suggests some positive results from pharmacist-led interventions, but the interventions do not seem sufficiently effective as currently implemented. This review should be interpreted as exploratory research, as more high-quality research is needed.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.