This study was aimed at assessing the readiness for drug information service (DIS) provision at community pharmacies in Akwa Ibom state using a cross sectional, observational study approach. A pretested, validated questionnaire was adapted for the study. A total of 187 premises were enlisted for visits with questionnaires targeted at the superintendent pharmacists for desired responses. Response rate was 93.6%. Respondents were male (77, 44%) and female (98, 56%) with mean years of experience of respondents as 18.7 years. All respondents were aware of DIS terminologies and believed the concept to include enquiries on dosing (75%), side effects of drugs (99%), safety of drugs in cases such as pregnancy (79%), drug route of administration (80%), pill identification (66%) and substitutes to requested drugs (78%). Responses to limitations in discharging efficient DIS include non-trending service style (26%), premises requiring restructuring (26%), prohibitive setting up cost (17%) and non-availability of trained personnel (7%). At the time of this study, available resources for DIS in the premises included reference books (90%), periodicals (19%), and internet access through smart phones (60%). Secondary and tertiary sources of drug information were essentially relied on for DIS provision in the study area. There was significant association between socio-demographic characteristics such as age with readiness status (p<0.05). There was poor in-service training for effective DIS provision. Summarily, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the DIS approach across the state. There is need for improvement in facilities and resources for efficient discharge of DIS in the study area.

Internet pharmacy has been the focus of heightened interest over the past 10 years. The unfolding and increasing trend and availability of online health information and drug sourcing are becoming of palpable concerns as the internet is known to be characteristically porous in terms of legislature and regulatory control. This prevalence and pattern of use of the internet in this regard alongside knowledge and attitude of users are examined. The readiness of regulatory bodies and operational legislations in some countries to checkmate illegal and uncontrolled ethical drug sourcing is similarly highlighted. The advantages of online drug sourcing that may increasingly fuel the internet market are considered. Finally, necessary upgrade of existing physical drug outlets to tackle possible spurious and illegal virtual pharmacies and strategies to practice of pharmaceutical care based on online ideologies are also reviewed.

The pharmacists’ slogan reads “as men of honour we join hands.” This study was aimed at assessing the perception and readiness to forming/running cooperative societies from the perspectives of the pharmacists’ technical groups in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey method was adopted using a structured questionnaire was used to obtain data bordering on respondents’ socio-demographic status, perception of concept of cluster/cooperative groups alongside willingness to engage in such formation. A total of 156 respondents (male 61, 39 % and female 95, 61%) participated in the study. The distribution of technical group of respondents were community practice (CP) 65(42.0%), academia (AP) 20 (13.0%), industrial (IP) 25 (16.0%) and hospital practice (HP) 46(29.0%). Respondents who were currently part of a non-pharmacist-member group and pharmacist-member group were 31% and 2%, respectively. 99% of the Respondents agree that persons of same mind/interest should come together to achieve progress. A total of 35% of total respondents believe pharmacists have too many associations/groups already and it is burdensome adding more93% of total respondents were not aware of any pharmacists-only group around them while 75% of them believe forming such groups can empower pharmacists but 23% have a negative disposition to this notion. Respondents from CP had significantly favourable disposition to creating the cooperative group than IP (p=0.0.0001), AP (p=0.023), HP (p=0.019). Pharmacists in CP and AP are more ready to form cooperative society for common interest than their colleagues in other technical groups.