ESTEVE and the Spanish Society of Community Pharmacy (SEFAC) have signed an agreement whereby both entities will collaborate in the development of a program of activities to foster and implement a treatment adherence plan in community pharmacies over the next two years. The agreement was signed by Jesús C. Gómez, president of SEFAC; Eugeni Sedano, director of Institutional Relations at ESTEVE; and Joe Sullivan, managing director of ESTEVE Farma.

The increase in our aging populations and polymedicated patients has an impact on increasingly poor adherence to treatment. The current situation in Spain is as follows: in 2050 it will be the second country with the world's oldest population[1]; chronicity already accounts for 80% of primary care visits and 60% of hospital stays[2], mainly unscheduled admissions; and 40% of multicondition patients suffer from three or more chronic diseases, and 94% of these patients are polymedicated[3]. All this has and will bear direct consequences on the efficiency of the available resources and on the rational use of medicines.

SEFAC was one of the societies to actively participate in the preparation of the Treatment Adherence Plan designed by several scientific societies and patient associations with the support of Farmaindustria. Hence the reason for this strategic agreement signed between ESTEVE and SEFAC to implement a therapeutic adherence plan in community pharmacies. According to SEFAC president Jesús C. Gómez, "community pharmacists play a vital role in improving adherence to treatment in collaboration with the rest of health professionals. This is so on account of their knowledge of medicines, their proximity and accessibility, and their close relationship with patients and caregivers". In addition, "pharmacists can control whether or not the patient is well aware of his/her treatment and knows how to take it as prescribed, and can also detect therapy-related problems such as dropouts".

For his part, Joe Sullivan, managing director of ESTEVE Farma, emphasized "ESTEVE's commitment to chronicity and to the creation and development of useful tools to help health professionals -community pharmacists in this case - in their daily tasks of treating and caring for chronic patients. The purpose is to enhance the pharmacist's role and the assistance they can bring to the chronic patient. This plan will contribute to increase control over these patients, which in turn will benefit the patients themselves and the system".
For this plan to be implemented, ESTEVE and SEFAC will launch a number of actions, starting with the design, validation and dissemination of fact sheets with recommendations on adherence guidelines for the population. Messages will be specifically directed to complex, higher-risk patients. Another initiative will consist in developing an algorithm of proceedings in the pharmacy to establish an agreed methodology for the collection and exploitation of adherence data. All will seek to develop and complement the goals set in the Treatment Adherence Plan signed by scientific societies with the support of Farmaindustria.

From then on, this plan will also address the launch of capacity-building programs in pharmacies for chronic and polymedicated patients, promote the use of technologies, and bring support to patient associations.

About SEFAC

The Spanish Society of Community Pharmacy (SEFAC) was constituted in March 2001 as a scientific and professional association at the national level. With more than 3,800 members and twelve local offices, SEFAC's primary objective is to delve into the care portfolio of community pharmacists and become a key scientific partner in community pharmacist communication with the different administrations and the rest of healthcare disciplines. More information at www.sefac.org

About ESTEVE
ESTEVE (www.esteve.com) is a leading chemical-pharmaceutical group in Spain with a strong presence worldwide. Founded in 1929 and presided over by Joan Esteve, the Company currently employs 2,279 people, has a presence in Europe, USA, Mexico and China, and had a sales revenue of 870 million Euros in 2015. ESTEVE is firmly committed to excellence and uses its best efforts to promote health and improve people's quality of life. Research being ESTEVE's hallmark, a portfolio of highly innovative projects ultimately aims to provide response to unmet medical needs. Because ESTEVE is a socially responsible Company, it ensures that all projects entered by it align with its CSR vision. You may follow ESTEVE at Twitter's link: @ESTEVE_news

References
[1] Informe CEOE "El envejecimiento de la población y sus efectos en el mercado laboral español"
[2] Aviles MJ, Cuevas MD ZE. Plan de atención a pacientes con enfermedades crónicas de la Comunidad Valenciana 2012. España: Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria de Sanitat; 2012.
[3] Ferrer C, Orozco D, Román P. Estrategia para el Abordaje de la Cronicidad en el Sistema Nacional de Salud [Internet]. España: Ministerio de Sanidad Servicios Sociales e Igualdad; 2012.