The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is asking for evidence on the facilitated self-selection of Pharmacy medicines. 

The call for evidence is open until September 6 and is the outcome of the national Pharmacy Boards meeting in June, which discussed the current RPS position that pharmacy-only medicines must not be accessible to the public by self-selection.

The RPS is asking for evidence of the benefits and harms of a facilitated self-selection model for Pharmacy medicines and whether there are any evidence gaps with an explanation of areas where further research is required. 

RPS chief executive Paul Bennett said: “Following changes brought by the GPhC focusing on an outcomes approach to standards, [the regulator] has confirmed it no longer prohibits facilitated self-selection of P medicines. As a result, there are pharmacies that are now adopting a more flexible interpretation to providing this group of medicines.”

The GPhC has stated that the sale and supply of a P medicine must still take place in a registered pharmacy premises under the supervision of a pharmacist and that appropriate measures should be in place to ensure that supervision continues, he added.

“The evidence base gathered through this exercise will inform a report by RPS Science and Research that will enable us to consider our current position,” said Mr Bennett. 

To inform the review, the RPS wants to hear from a wide range of pharmacists and pharmacy team members, patient representative bodies, employers, academics, thinktanks, pharmacy representative bodies, regulators and other stakeholders and researchers.