abstract: 'The outbreak of COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries is

  worrisome due to the social inequalities in these countries, their

  limited health budgets and the significant burden of other acute and

  chronic diseases. The leap in the number of cases in Brazil has imposed

  a huge strain on the healthcare system. We sought to provide a

  comprehensive overview of the challenges encountered by pharmacy

  services in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency in Brazil and

  discuss the role of clinical pharmacists in this context. Pharmaceutical

  services play a key role in the emergency response to the pandemic. The

  pharmacy workforce has been actively working to manage drug shortages,

  redesign workflow, and review drug formularies/protocols to improve

  safety for patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs). COVID-19

  patients may present high risk in the use of medications and clinical

  pharmacists can contribute substantially as part of a multidisciplinary

  team to improve outcomes in drug therapy in severe and critical illness.

  The participation of pharmacists as members of antimicrobial stewardship

  programs should be enhanced to ensure appropriate and safe use of

  antibiotics in this context. HCPs should be encouraged to seek

  improvements in the performance of pharmaceutical services and

  innovative practices to respond to the pandemic. Further studies are

  needed to generate knowledge on COVID-19 to improve patient care in

  vulnerable populations.'
affiliation: 'Martins, MAP (Corresponding Author), Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Farm,
  Av Pres Antonio Carlos 6627,Campus Pampulha, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Martins, MAP (Corresponding Author), Hosp Risoleta Tolentino Neves, R Gabirobas
  1, BR-31744012 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Martins, MAP (Corresponding Author), Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Hosp Clin, Av Prof Alfredo
  Balena 110, BR-30130100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Martins, MAP (Corresponding Author), ISMP Brasil, Inst Prat Seguras Uso Medicamentos,
  Av Contorno 9215,Sl 502, BR-30110063 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Parreiras Martins, Maria Auxiliadora; Moreira Reis, Adriano Max, Univ Fed Minas
  Gerais, Fac Farm, Av Pres Antonio Carlos 6627,Campus Pampulha, BR-31270901 Belo
  Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Parreiras Martins, Maria Auxiliadora; De Medeiros, Amanda Fonseca; Moreira Reis,
  Adriano Max, Hosp Risoleta Tolentino Neves, R Gabirobas 1, BR-31744012 Belo Horizonte,
  MG, Brazil.

  Parreiras Martins, Maria Auxiliadora; Carneiro de Almeida, Claudmeire Dias; Moreira
  Reis, Adriano Max, Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Hosp Clin, Av Prof Alfredo Balena 110,
  BR-30130100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

  Parreiras Martins, Maria Auxiliadora; Moreira Reis, Adriano Max, ISMP Brasil, Inst
  Prat Seguras Uso Medicamentos, Av Contorno 9215,Sl 502, BR-30110063 Belo Horizonte,
  MG, Brazil.'
author: Parreiras Martins, Maria Auxiliadora and De Medeiros, Amanda Fonseca and Carneiro
  de Almeida, Claudmeire Dias and Moreira Reis, Adriano Max
author-email: auxiliadorapmartins@hotmail.com
author_list:
- family: Parreiras Martins
  given: Maria Auxiliadora
- family: De Medeiros
  given: Amanda Fonseca
- family: Carneiro de Almeida
  given: Claudmeire Dias
- family: Moreira Reis
  given: Adriano Max
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s40267-020-00761-7
eissn: 1179-1977
files: []
issn: 1172-0360
journal: DRUGS \& THERAPY PERSPECTIVES
keywords-plus: CORONAVIRUS; CARE
language: English
month: OCT
number: '10'
number-of-cited-references: '60'
orcid-numbers: 'Reis, Adriano/0000-0002-0017-7338

  Martins, Maria Auxiliadora P/0000-0002-5211-411X

  Fonseca Medeiros, Amanda/0000-0002-6747-6172'
pages: 455-462
papis_id: e2ff625d46fe05f287fd46edde2858e1
ref: Parreirasmartins2020preparednesspharmaci
researcherid-numbers: 'Reis, Adriano/AAN-5180-2021

  Martins, Maria/IQT-0561-2023

  Reis, Adriano/A-4449-2014

  Martins, Maria Auxiliadora P/I-6136-2018

  '
times-cited: '5'
title: 'Preparedness of pharmacists to respond to the emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic
  in Brazil: a comprehensive overview'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000753486400005
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '2'
volume: '36'
web-of-science-categories: Pharmacology \& Pharmacy
year: '2020'