Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40612009›Full record

ArticleJournal of pharmaceutical policy and practice2025

'Challenges in pediatric medicine access in Albania: insights from community Pharmacists'.

E Petro, T Martopullo, A K Mantel-Teeuwisse, H A van den Ham, F Suleman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

E PetroPrimary Healthcare Services, Local Healthcare Unit, Durres, Albania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1471-3861
T MartopulloLady of Good Counsel University, Tirana, Albania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6837-0483
A K Mantel-TeeuwisseWHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8782-0698
H A van den HamWHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1339-9818
F SulemanWHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Evidence Based Practice, Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8559-9168

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Medicines are crucial for strengthening health systems and building patient confidence. Yet, there is a global shortage of age-appropriate pediatric formulations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Pharmacists are vital in ensuring pediatric medicines' availability and proper use. Research has often overlooked pediatric needs, resulting in significant gaps in understanding the accessibility of medicines for children. This research therefore sought to identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing pediatric medicines from the perspective of community pharmacists in Albania. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in March 2024 with 18 members of the Albanian Order of Pharmacists, working in the six most populated cities in Albania. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the Pharmaceutical Value Chain framework. Results: Barriers to accessing pediatric medicines were evident in almost all domains of the Pharmaceutical Value Chain framework except for health information technology, a domain not referred to by participants. Issues addressed included a limited number of items on the reimbursement list for different child-specific diagnoses and occasional stock-outs of child-appropriate medicines. Open communication channels with other healthcare professionals and patient education were identified as key facilitators in improving access to pediatric medicines. Conclusion: This is the first study to examine pediatric medicine access in Albania from the viewpoint of community pharmacists. The findings provide context-specific insights that can inform policy reforms and health system strategies to improve the equitable availability of pediatric medicines.

Indexed as

accessAlbaniabarriersfacilitatorspediatric medicinespharmacist perception

Identifiers

PMID40612009
PMCPMC12224724

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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.