NPA launches initiative to help pharmacies recruit clinical trial participants

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has partnered with the Centre for Research Equity at the University of Oxford to support independent community pharmacies across the UK in recruiting participants for clinical trials, with a particular focus on engaging people from deprived communities and minority ethnic groups.

The organisations believe community pharmacies can help address under-representation in clinical trials because over 99% of people in the UK's most deprived areas have access to a pharmacy within a 20-minute walk.

The partnership will involve the development of a network of research sites in community pharmacies who will be supported with training programmes and guidance.

Any of the NPA’s 6,000 member pharmacies can participate in the project regardless of location or the populations they serve.

In a document explaining the partnership, called the Community Pharmacy Partnership Manifesto, it said: 'Community pharmacy bucks the inverse care law, with pharmacies disproportionately located in the most deprived neighbourhoods. Community pharmacies are well placed to access underserved communities included deprived communities and ethnic minority communities.'

It added that the role of community pharmacy is expected to be 'expanded significantly' in the coming years as independent prescribing qualifications become more widespread.

'Over a third of the country’s 60,000 pharmacists have an independent prescribing qualification, and training of the legacy workforce along with 3,000 graduates able to prescribe immediately on qualification from 2026 will support rapid growth,' it said.

Sukhi Basra, NPA vice chair, said: ‘NPA members taking part will be helping to ensure safe and effective healthcare practice across the UK and worldwide.

‘It is commonplace for GP practices to recruit patients into trials, and we are confident that the community pharmacy network can add value to research efforts.’

She added: ‘Developing a role in supporting clinical trials and health research could also be a financially valuable diversification opportunity for some hard-pressed pharmacies.’

Professor Mahendra Patel, director of the Centre for Research Equity, said: ‘Participants from underserved communities are often disproportionately under-represented in clinical research.

‘By engaging [community pharmacies] as a channel to recruit participants, we can help ensure that research more accurately reflects the make-up of society and is inclusive and diverse.’