Background To follow international standards, the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists would like to start to implement the medication therapy management in community pharmacies. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate community pharmacists' knowledge of and readiness for medication therapy management. Setting Community pharmacists from all Lebanese regions. Method A cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted. Pharmacists at their workplace completed self-administered anonymous standardized questionnaires between June and December 2016, with no compensation in return. Statistical analysis was conducted using bi-variate and multi-variable methods. Main outcome measure The major dependent variable of interest was the willingness to engage in medication therapy management activities. Results While only 376 (46%) of the interviewed pharmacists declared to be familiar with this concept, the majority of interviewed pharmacists 646 (78.8%) agreed on the importance of patient-centered care. Although this service will not be remunerated at this stage, 529 (64.5%) were willing to attend advanced training sessions to become actively engaged in medication therapy management, particularly those who had adequate workflow, staff and time at their workplace (aOR = 1.51; p = 0.045) and those agreeing to review a patient's medication profile and provide interventions as part of their role (aOR = 6.10; p < 0.001). Conclusion Lebanese pharmacists have adequate knowledge and a positive attitude towards medication therapy management services implementation; however, barriers could arise such as inadequate time, workflow and physical space. Efforts should be exerted by the Lebanese Order of Pharmacist to extend the role of the pharmacist and its positive effect on patient outcome.

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As a conclusion, from the ten compounds analyzed, N5 and N7 showed promising results as anti-inflammatory/analgesic agents with low ulcerogenicity and nephrotoxicity and thus should be further analyzed to determine the ED50 and other side effects.

Objectives: Distinct measures were adopted in Lebanon to prohibit the spreading of SARS-CoV-2. These actions provide positive results only if the population chooses to be compliant. Aim: Accordingly, this study aimed to reflect the Lebanese population adherence by determining their level of knowledge and practice during this pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was performed in April 2020. It involved 410 volunteers from the main 5 Lebanese districts. The questionnaire was divided into 3 parts; sociodemographic, knowledge, and practice. A score was calculated out of 18 points to evaluate the knowledge of the respondents. The last 8 questions reflected the participants' precautionary methods during the pandemic. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance tests were conducted using SPSS version 20. Results: The overall correct rate of the knowledge questionnaire was 75%. Survey completers of extreme age groups (under 18 and >44), elementary education level, and medical occupation displayed the least level of knowledge compared to other groups ( p < 0.05). Most of the participants showed proactive practices to protect themselves against COVID-19. They covered their mouths (81.2%), threw the used tissues (93.7%), and washed their hands (66.6%) after sneezing or coughing. Moreover, they wore face masks if they were sick (59%) or in a crowded place (79.3%). Concerning Hydroxychloroquine, 10% claimed that they would take it if they have COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: This survey sheds the light on the fact that one mandatory measure does not fit all the population; there must be a specialized method of prevention for each profession, age group, and area of the country to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19.

Background Medication waste is a public health problem affecting developed and developing countries. In Lebanon, a developing country in the Middle East, efforts are being deployed in hospitals but not in the community. Objective This study aimed to validate a questionnaire to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards the disposal of unused and expired medicines among the Lebanese population and then identify the factors associated with these variables comparatively between the general population and healthcare professionals. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general Lebanese population in May–June 2022 using a standardized questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the KAP scales were assessed, then a thorough statistical analysis was done to explore the factors associated with these scales. Results The KAP scales generated by this study were valid and reliable. Using these scales, 24.5%, 22.6%, and 21% of participants demonstrated proper knowledge, attitude, and practice, respectively. Higher knowledge scores were significantly associated with female gender (Beta = 0.97), a high monthly income (Beta = 1.68), a secondary (Beta = 6.11) or university (Beta = 6.80) education level, and postgraduate education (Beta = 7.13). However, older age (Beta = − 0.06) and a low monthly income (Beta = − 3.06) were significantly associated with lower knowledge scores. A higher knowledge score (Beta = 0.06) was significantly associated with a more positive attitude regarding unused or expired medication disposal. Being a healthcare professional (Beta = 0.72) was significantly associated with a higher practice score, while being a female (Beta = − 0.32) and living in a rural area (Beta = − 0.37) were significantly associated with lower practice scores. Conclusion This study validated KAP scales regarding medication waste in Lebanon and showed low KAP scores in the majority of respondents. Factors associated with higher KAP scores in various aspects of medication disposal, including gender, age, education level, and profession (healthcare professionals), suggest the need to consider those when implementing targeted corrective measures. Although further studies are required to confirm our findings, this study could be the ground for a medication waste management national strategy in Lebanon.