The effects of modifying electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers through crosslinking using glutaraldehyde (GA) are explored in this paper. Various concentrations of PVA solutions containing model drugs rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) were electrospun and thereafter crosslinked using GA vapors. PVA nanofibers demonstrated high drug entrapment efficiency of 98.77% ± 1.384% and 95.07% ± 1.988% for the INH- and RIF-loaded PVA nanofibers, respectively. The surface morphology, molecular vibrational transitions, tensile attributes and in vitro drug release were characterized and supported by in silico molecular mechanics simulations. Results indicated that crosslinking caused a significant reduction in the rate of drug release where 81.11% ± 2.35% of INH and 59.31% ± 2.57% of RIF were released after 12 h. Tensile properties such as the ultimate strength and Young's modulus increased after crosslinking, caused by crosslinks forming between PVA nanofibers as was revealed through scanning electron microscopy analysis. Fourier Transform infrared analysis was conducted to further support the mode of crosslinking. Additionally, image processing analysis was carried out to quantify the effect of formulation variables on the morphology of nanofibers. Furthermore, the effect of GA-induced crosslinking and addition of drugs on the performance of electrospun fibers was further elucidated and conceptualized using a molecular mechanics assisted model building and energy refinement approach via molecular mechanics energy relationships by exploring the spatial disposition of energy-minimized molecular structures of the polymer, crosslinker and the drugs.

Illegible prescriptions are an illegal, frequent, and longstanding problem for pharmacy personnel engaged in dispensing. These contribute to patient safety issues and negatively impact safe dispensing in pharmaceutical delivery. To date, little is documented on measures taken to assess the negative impact posed by illegible prescriptions on South African pharmacy dispensing personnel. Therefore, this pilot study was performed to evaluate the ability of pharmacy personnel to read and interpret illegible prescriptions correctly; and to report on their perceived challenges, views and concerns when presented with an illegible prescription to dispense. A cross-sectional, three-tiered self-administered survey was conducted among pharmacy personnel. A total of 885 measurements were recorded. The ability to read an illegible prescription is not an indicator of competency, as all (100%) participants (novice and experienced) made errors and experienced difficulty evaluating and deciphering the illegible prescription. The medication names and dosages were correctly identified by only 20% and 18% of all participants. The use of digital prescriptions was indicated by 70% of the participants as a probable solution to the problem. Overall, improving the quality of written prescriptions and instructions can potentially assist dispensing pharmacy personnel in reducing illegible prescription-related patient safety issues and dispensing errors.

Equity in education ensures access to success-supporting tools for all, transcending backgrounds, languages, races, and more. Despite global efforts, achieving equity in higher education remains a challenge, amplified by COVID-19 in pharmaceutical education. Addressing these disparities is vital for fostering a capable, adaptable pharmaceutical workforce meeting diverse healthcare needs. The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) introduces its toolkit to counter such inequities, propelling transformative changes worldwide. This narrative review outlines the toolkit, contextualising educational disparities, probing influential themes, and furnishing resources. It incorporates insights, recommendations, self-assessment tools, and expert perspectives, aiming to rectify inequities in pharmaceutical education universally and at local levels, promoting a proficient and responsive pharmaceutical workforce aligned with society's evolving healthcare demands.

South Africa’s (SA) quadruple disease burden comprises communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and child mortality, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and injury and violence. Two of these components, HIV and NCDs, generate demand for long-term medicines and are the focus of the review. To improve access to chronic medicines and to alleviate the pressure on overburdened public health facilities, the National Department of Health launched the Central Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme. Stable, compliant patients were granted access to patient medicine parcels (PMPs) via decentralised community pick-up points (PUPs), thereby reducing clinic congestion and improving patient convenience. Despite considerable scale-up, implementation has been inconsistent among provinces. While regional syntheses of differentiated service delivery models exist, no synthesis has yet consolidated the barriers and facilitators specific to the CCMDD across the full decade of its implementation. To understand the barriers and facilitators, a scoping review was conducted for studies published in English between 2014 and 2024. The search was filtered primarily for duplicates, then title and abstract screening, of which 31 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis; resulting themes were subsequently mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to contextualise findings within implementation science. A grey literature search was also conducted through Google Scholar and Sabinet. Key facilitators of implementation included decentralised service delivery and community-based distribution, reduced patient waiting times, enhanced treatment adherence, reduced patient-borne transport and time costs and improved access to medicines. Limited access to pick-up points in remote areas, miscommunication regarding pick-up dates and poor staff service were cited as barriers. The findings revealed a gap between planned activities and implementation and have significant implications for policy and practice. It further highlighted the need for ongoing optimisation strategies to enhance the programme.