PHARMACISTS SAY REGULATED APPROACH TO E-LABELLING IS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

• FIP launches report into e-labelling
• New system could improve consumer health literacy and reduce environmental impact
• Responsible regulation will be key to successful transition

A new report on e-labelling from the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has highlighted the importance of regulation and collaboration as the transition towards digital labelling gathers pace. 

The report outlines the opportunities and challenges of e-labelling, as highlighted by a group of experts who took part in an insight board discussion at the FIP’s annual congress in September 2023, and says considered regulation will be key in addressing digital exclusion.

It also highlights the importance of pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, e-labelling developers and regulators working together to ensure all patients are able to access the information they need in formats they can use.

E-labelling, according to the report, can play a significant role in providing equitable, accessible and patient-centred care by tailoring information to the needs and preferences of the individual, and enabling access to information in preferred languages and format, such as text, audio, or video, at a time when just 37% of people claim to read the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) contained within medication packaging*.

Many of these platforms also include search functions, allowing patients to quickly find specific information that's relevant to them. 

However, the report, which contains the views gathered at an insight board discussion which was supported through unrestricted funds from Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, highlights that various formats may hinder patient access to information. An approved format to simplify and enhance the process could be useful to grant information access, says the report.

Recommendations stemming from the discussion also include that all e-labelling platforms should comply with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing healthcare and pharmaceuticals in each market, which it acknowledges is a challenge, given the geographical differences.

Lars-Åke Söderlund, FIP vice president and co-chair of FIP’s Technology Advisory Group, said: “As a profession, we embrace digital advancements that benefit patients and grant access to health information. Pharmacists can play a key role in patient education and guidance on e-labels, as well as in empowerment and collaboration with other stakeholders.

“We recognise the importance of finding new systems to provide medicines information that will improve health literacy, provide accessible patient information, and contribute towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

“E-labelling can offer a host of benefits to patients, but responsible regulation will be key in ensuring a patient-centred approach that is consistent across the board and doesn’t leave communities behind. As pharmacists, we can play a key role in the transition towards a new labelling system by serving as a bridge between regulators and patients.

“While e-labelling has been explored in some countries, it's still in its infancy in most parts of the world, so it’s important to discuss what the transition could look like and how this could impact patients and pharmacy professionals.”

Josephine Fubara, Chief Science Officer at Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, said: “As we increasingly look for new ways to equip people with the tools to put health into their hands and to take decisions about their health, the conversation around e-labelling has never been more relevant.

“There are some potential barriers which must be addressed when looking ahead to the e-labelling transition, such as supporting those with limited access to the internet, and regulatory challenges, but that is why it’s so important to bring experts from all over the world together to share their ideas and to discuss the best ways to overcome these.

“E-labelling aims to make healthcare as simple as it should be, and, with the correct prerequisites in place, I believe it can be a positive move towards bridging inequitable access to medicines information, increasing medication adherence and enabling successful self-care.”

The report will be discussed at a webinar later this week, where a global range of experts will cover these points in more detail.

Moderated by FIP Senior Programme Lead, Dalia Bajis, and facilitated by Nour Elthala, Equity and Humanitarian Programme Manager at FIP in The Netherlands, speakers at the webinar will also include Brett Simmonds (Aphra), Ema Paulino (Associaçao Nacional das Farmácias), and Lars-Åke Söderlund (Vice President, FIP, Sweden).

The webinar will take place on Thursday 18 April at 13:00-14:30 CET and is open to all. The event will be held in English.  You can register for the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6617116145077/WN_3fRPoDqiRRW13orbIQmxCA

*Hammar T, Hovstadius B, Nilsson A-L [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 18]. Available from: https://pharmacypractice.org/index.php/pp/article/view/702