Social Pharmacy
The research group studies problems related to rational drug use, focusing on patients as well as the society.
About the group
Drug therapy is currently a field of increasing importance and impact worldwide. Social pharmacy research focuses on the way in which drugs are used. By understanding how patients use their medicines, therapeutic treatments could be better adapted and the risk of treatment failure could be reduced.
Current Western societies are characterised by an elderly population having longer life expectancy and presenting more bothers and diseases than previously. Most of these are treated with an increasing number of powerful drugs. It is known that wrong use of drugs occurs. The reasons for it are, among others, fear of adverse drug reactions and/or drug dependence, misunderstandings, preferences for alternative therapeutic treatments, etc.
The research group focuses on the young as well as the elderly populations. Special focus is given to chronic patients, pregnant women and ethnic minorities. Cardiovascular and psychotropic drugs, as well as analgesics and drugs for HIV are the classes of drugs investigated by the group. Additional research is done about attitudes and knowledge among healthcare professionals (pharmacists, physicians and nurses) whenever drug use is concerned.
Pharmacoeconomic issues are also central topics of the group’s research.
Research areas
The group is conducting research within the following three main areas:
Collaboration
National:
- Anti-Doping Norway
- Norwegian Pharmacy Association
- Norwegian Directorate of Health (Giftinformasjonen og Avdeling for legemidler)
- Institute of Health and Society, The Medical Faculty, University of Oslo
- International Health and Social Group (IHSG)
- The National Institute of Public Health, Division of Mental Health
- Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål, Department of Infectious disease
- Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen
- St. Olavs Hospital, Department of Pharmaceuticals
International:
- Motherisk Program, Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Canada
- Department of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Sør-Afrika
Academic programmes and courses
- FRM4040 - Social science methodology to be prepared for research in Social pharmacy
- FRM5610 - Pharmacoeconomics
- FRM5630 - Use of medicines in a Global Society