A survey commissioned by the Multipharma cooperative and carried out by the iVOX research office reveals the expectations of Belgians from their pharmacist. The survey highlights the loyalty of Belgian patients towards their pharmacist, their confidence in the health advice provided, and their wish to see the role of pharmacists expanded in several key areas.
Nearly three out of four Belgians (74%) say they have great confidence in the health advice given by their pharmacist, highlighting the importance of this local professional. Half of the respondents go to a pharmacy at least once a month, not only to buy medicines, but also to request personalized support.
Accessibility to health care: a crucial issue
A worrying aspect of the study lies in the financial accessibility of care. More than one Belgian in ten sometimes gives up buying medicines for budgetary reasons. This phenomenon affects young people (12.8%) and French speakers (17.6%) more, compared to 6.3% among Dutch speakers.
Pharmacists, key players in diabetes prevention?
One in ten Belgians suffer from diabetes, and a quarter of those over 45 are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to Diabetes Liga. However, one in three patients are unaware of their illness. In November, 23,059 Belgians assessed their risk using the FINDRISC test offered by Multipharma. The study reveals that 67% of respondents want pharmacists to play an expanded role in prevention, in particular by carrying out tests using a drop of blood, a measure popular with 35-54 year olds.
Vaccination: a popular mission
Vaccination by pharmacists, particularly against flu and Covid-19, is seen as added value by 80% of Belgians. In 2024, Multipharma pharmacies administered more than 81,000 doses of these vaccines, marking a notable increase compared to the previous year. Two thirds of respondents would also like to see this competence extended to other vaccines, such as those against tetanus or pneumococci.
For Multipharma, the pharmacist’s tasks go well beyond the simple delivery of medications. More and more patients are calling on this healthcare professional, particularly for the administration of vaccines, diabetes screening, coaching and medication review.
The pharmacist receives, for some of these new services, a fee which is independent of the dispensing of medications and serves to compensate him for the time he devotes to this service. Pharmacist remuneration is therefore moving more towards a system based on services and less and less on the economic margin derived from the sale of products.
Raising awareness about the management of expired medicines
The survey shows that in 2024, less than half of Belgians have returned their expired medicines to a pharmacy. It is remarkable to see that it is mainly young people (46%) who have not yet adopted this habit. However, those over 55 are more likely to do so: 73% indicate that they “always” or “generally” bring them back to a pharmacy. Multipharma is continuing its awareness campaigns, having collected 55 tonnes of expired medicines thanks to its “Recupills Challenge” initiative.
This annual survey offers an overview of the specific expectations and needs of Belgian patients, while reinforcing the idea that the pharmacist plays a key role in improving access to care and raising awareness of public health.
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