12.08.2025
Denne nyhed er et engelsk resumé af artiklen "Polyfarmaci presser praktiserende læger: Farmaceuter og farmakonomer tilbyder hjælp" fra Dagens Medicin.
General practitioners (GPs) hold the overall responsibility for treatment, but many struggle to manage the complex regimens of multimorbid patients. A long list of prescriptions from multiple hospital specialists makes coordination even more difficult.
Pharmacists and pharmaconomists can help
In an article in Dagens Medicin, Stine Hasling Mogensen, Chair of Pharmadanmark, and Ann-Mari Grønbæk, Chair of the Danish Association of Pharmaconomists, argue that pharmacists and pharmaconomists should take on larger medication management.
GPs are already under considerable time pressure, and many lack advanced training in rational pharmacotherapy – knowledge that is essential when treating multimorbid patients.
Unlike doctors, who focus on specific diseases, pharmaceutical professionals focus on the entire medication picture, including drug interactions and the combined effects of multiple treatments.
As specialists in medicine pharmacists and pharmaconomists can therefore play a vital role in addressing this problem by identifying potential errors, optimizing treatment plans, and thereby improving patient safety and relieving pressure on the healthcare system.
Possible models could include employing pharmacists directly in GP practices, sharing them across several clinics, or strengthening their roles in hospitals and elder care.
Broad agreement – but barriers remain
The Danish Health Authority’s 2022 recommendations also highlighted the need for greater involvement of healthcare professionals in managing polypharmacy. And pharmacists and pharmaconomists are ready to step in, says Stine Hasling Mogensen:
“Pharmacists are specialists in medical treatment. We look at the whole patient and the interactions between different drugs. That’s why it makes sense for pharmacists to be involved in the treatment of multimorbid patients.”
Still, cultural and regulatory challenges remain. Doctors have traditionally held exclusive responsibility for medication management, and some are skeptical of sharing it. In addition, pharmacists and pharmaconomists lack legal access to patient journals and medication records unless approved by a GP on a case-by-case basis.
According to Stine Hasling Mogensen and Ann-Mari Grønbæk, real progress requires national action. A central authority should take responsibility for polypharmacy, and stronger collaboration across healthcare professions must be built.
Despite these barriers, there is broad agreement among professional organizations and health authorities: Denmark has yet to fully use the expertise of pharmacists and pharmaconomists to ensure safer and more effective treatment – and to ease the pressure on the strained healthcare system.