This study is the first large-scale, multicentre study to investigate the effects of pharmaceutical care provision by community pharmacists to elderly patients. Future research methodology and implementation will be informed by the experience gained from this challenging trial.

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Denmark has few, but large, community pharmacies and a long tradition of research and development resulting in several well-documented cognitive and clinical services. However, few services are reimbursed and implementation is still a challenge.

The authors set out to describe the possible impact of the continuing education activities of the Community Pharmacy Section (CPS) of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) on the profession in the period from 1980 to 2002 (approximately the last two decades of the 20th century) by reviewing and interpreting documents of the Community Pharmacy Section of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. The educational activities of the CPS have resulted in a high level of satisfaction among the participants. The CPS has also coordinated international practice research and the dissemination of the concept of pharmaceutical care. Additionally, the section's activities have informed the members of national pharmaceutical associations about new concepts, and stimulated projects on the added value of pharmacy. There are reasons to believe that the activities have created agents of change. It seems that the activities of the section have had some effect, although the exact impact remains difficult to measure because no structured evaluation method has been applied from the beginning of the continuing education activities.

AIMSThe objective of this study has been to evaluate, prospectively, to what extant the administration of antibiotics in surgical prophylaxis conforms with the established guide-lines laid down by the infections Comralilecs. MATERIAL AND METHODSAn incidence prospective multicontre study with a five weeks duration was carried out in 3 hospitals. All operated patients (n=562) were included with the exception of those from eye, ear, nose and throat surgery. A specially demgned form was used for data collection. The data used came from anesthesia and pharmacotherapeimc profiles.The valuation of prophylactic treatment was performed by a team of two pharmacists and one surgeon.hldication, antibiotic election, initiation and duration of prophylaxis were analyzed, RESULTSThirty-seven percent of 207 patients studied received antibiotic phrophylactic treatment Although there were differences betw-cn hospitals, an average of 40% of the antibiotic administered did not conform with the guide-lines established in each centre. The results "~ere 57%, 56% and 13% respectively. The adininistration of antibiotic phrophylaxis more than an hour before strutting surgery was the main inappropriate use (44%). CONCLUSIONSProspective studiesare useful for evaluating the use of antibiotics ill surgical prophylaxis. They enable the inclusion of a large number of patients and also an oblective measurement of the level of adherence to the Infection Comreattees recomanded guidu-lmes. This in turn determines wether or not corrective measures should be taken,