Earticle

The concept of e-sports is being established as a sport that we have previously recognized, not just a simple electronic game. However, it is not clear whether e-sports share the same characteristics as sports, and even if they do, how doping will be a problem in e-sports. In this paper, we examined how to deal with the doping issue in e-sports by comparing the characteristics of general sports and e-sports. We also investigated what form doping will take in e-sports and what information pharmacists should know in the future. In conclusion, it is necessary to expand the scope of anti-doping activities that have been actively implemented in existing sports to the field of e-sports to prevent damage to the health of e-sports athletes and maintain fairness and transparency in e-sports activities. In addition, it is thought that pharmacists, who are experts in medication, will need to understand the overall characteristics of e-sports and the differences in the target group at risk of doping and activate their role in providing individualized pharmaceutical services in the future.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreas. Genetic variations within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) significantly influence the development of T1D, with disease progression often indicated by the presence of autoantibodies. Until recently, insulin therapy was the sole treatment for T1D. However, in 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved teplizumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, as a novel immunomodulatory therapy to delay the onset of T1D. Various immunologic agents, including anti-CD antibodies and anti-cytokine autoantibodies, have been investigated across various stages of T1D in clinical trials. This article examines the current status of drug development for the prevention and treatment of T1D and summarizes key studies that aimed at delaying the onset of T1D using these agents. While efforts to halt or prevent the disease prior to clinical diagnosis have yielded limited success, post-diagnosis interventions have shown promising potential in slowing disease progression by preserving beta-cell function. Further investigation into long-term clinical outcomes related to the delay of T1D onset is necessary, and ongoing studies require extended follow-up to assess their full potential.

Background: The drug addiction crisis in South Korea highlights the need to activate the Korea Association Against Drug Abuse’s (KAADA) rehabilitation centers. This study proposes strategies to activate drug rehabilitation centers by analyzing factors affecting participation intention. Method: We analyzed questionnaire responses from participants (n=540) in Incheon KAADA’s deferred prosecution and probation programs. Descriptive statistics covered treatment-experience, mental health, and social support by drug type. A multivariable logistic analysis was conducted to analyze the association between the characteristics of drug offenders and their intention to use rehabilitation centers. Results: Among the participants, most drug abusers mainly used stimulants (59.8%), followed by cannabis (27.7%), opioids and sedatives (6.8%), and other substances (5.8%). Stimulant users (odds ratio [OR] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-3.83), treatment-experienced (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.08-2.92), poor mental health (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.28-3.60), and poor social support (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.83) were significantly associated with the intention to use rehabilitation centers. In drug-specific subgroup analysis, cannabis users showed a lack of clear motivation for utilizing rehabilitation centers. Additionally, in the sex-based subgroup analysis, intent to use rehabilitation centers increased with age among men, whereas women under 30 displayed the highest intent. Conclusion: The study suggests enhancing rehabilitation centers by strengthening personalized programs for those with poor social support and creating flexible online programs for cannabis users. Additionally, incorporating pharmacist interventions during medical shopping or polypharmacy scenarios could be beneficial.

Background: Learning activities (LAs) regarding direct patient care in the ward are an important part of the pharmacy school education to enhance professional competency. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacy students’ satisfaction with the quality of hospital pharmacy practice experience has decreased, and there is limited study on the status of LAs regarding the direct patients care in hospitals. Therefore, this study aims to determine the current status of direct patients care LAs and their barriers to ensure level and consistency of education. Method: A survey study was conducted among pharmacists in charge of student education about the status of direct patients care LAs in their hospitals by using survey questionnaires in 2024. This survey questions consisted of dichotomous questions, expressed as percentages. Results: Among 26 hospitals, 88.5% (n=23) responded. 71.4% (5 cases) of tertiary hospitals with more than 1,000 beds conducted direct inpatient care LAs. 33.3% (3 cases) of general hospitals with 700-300 beds conducted direct patient care LAs. The lowest direct patient cares LAs (16.7% versus 9.1%) was antimicrobial stewardship intervention in two types of hospitals. Overall, the level of direct patient cares LAs in the ward was not consistent between two types of hospitals. The major barrier to the implementation of direct inpatient cares LAs in both types of hospitals was the lack of pharmacists. Conclusion: This result sheds light on the importance of developing new strategies for training programs in the ward and ensuring level and consistency in learning approach.

Background: This study sought to research the implementation of pharmaceutical care services and review the pharmaceutical care services used for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: All articles reporting pharmacists’ implementation of pharmaceutical care services during the COVID-19 pandemic were comprehensively searched in PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases up to July 7, 2021, then included in this study. Twenty-four items of pharmaceutical care services were classified into the following 5 categories: patient evaluation and monitoring, clinical decision support, compounding/dispensing/administration, patient consultation and education, and drug-related policy research and development. Results: A total of 674 articles from 100 countries were included, with the United States of America being the most frequently studied country. Across the 5 classified categories, compounding/dispensing/administration was most frequently examined (28.9%), followed by patient consultation and education (25.2%). Among the 24 items of pharmaceutical care services, medicine supply management was most frequently reported on (11.4%), followed by patient consultations (11.0%). The primary implemented pharmaceutical care services for COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and vaccination were public health education, COVID-19 testing services, medicine supply management, and vaccination, respectively. Conclusion: Pharmacists have implemented diverse pharmaceutical care services for COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and vaccination globally. Further studies should be conducted to determine the correlation between the characteristics of healthcare accessibility in a country and the implemented pharmaceutical care services for COVID-19.

Background: Community pharmacy experiential education in South Korea, introduced in 2014, faces challenges in standardization due to the independent nature of pharmacies. Preceptors play a vital role, yet their responsibilities remain undefined. This study analyzes preceptors’ job functions, focusing on competencies and comparing perceptions between preceptors and students. Methods: Using the Developing Curriculum (DACUM) method, a task inventory questionnaire assessed the frequency, importance, and difficulty of preceptor responsibilities. The survey targeted preceptors affiliated with South Korean pharmacy schools and accredited pharmacies. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analyses. Results: Responses from 103 preceptors and 105 students identified professionalism (43.6±13.6), interpersonal skills (36.2±14.4), and communication skills (35.8±15.0) as core competencies. Students rated tasks such as providing feedback and mentoring as more important than preceptors did. Female preceptors scored higher in clinical knowledge and communication. Preceptor experience influenced perceptions of task difficulty, with early-stage preceptors reporting challenges in professionalism and communication. Conclusions: This study highlights the multifaceted roles of community pharmacy preceptors, emphasizing professionalism, communication, and feedback. Tailored training programs are needed to address identified gaps. Future research should include diverse samples and objective performance measures to further refine preceptor development strategies.