Patient preferences for treatment characteristics-such as dosage form, taste, smell, and ingredients-play a key role in adherence, yet these preferences differ widely across cultures and are frequently overlooked in pharmaceutical development. Prescription medicines must meet strict safety and effectiveness standards, restricting flexibility, whereas over-the-counter supplements allow more freedom, though often without proven benefits. Developing diverse formulations is expensive and time-consuming, and patients need clear guidance to make informed choices without feeling overwhelmed or questioning their doctors. This tension highlights a disconnect between patient desires, scientific validation, and practical feasibility. We urge healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and patients to engage in dialogue to discuss patient preferences and diversity in drug development. By creating treatments that reflect cultural needs and improving patient education, adherence and equity in healthcare can improve, provided the scientific, economic, and logistical hurdles are addressed effectively.

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted healthcare systems worldwide, including the postponement of non‐urgent care and reallocation of resources toward COVID‐19 patients. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the first Dutch COVID‐19 lockdown on the initiation of new analgesic prescriptions. Methods: This study analysed dispensing data from 1890 Dutch pharmacies, covering approximately 96% of the population (5.46 million patients). The number of first‐time prescription analgesics dispensed (ATC2 N02 class, e.g., opioids, anilides) was compared between the first halves of 2019 and 2020. First‐time users were defined as patients who had not received the drug in the preceding year. Data were stratified by age group (children, adolescents, adults, elderly), sex and time periods: weeks 1–11 (pre‐lockdown 2020), 12–19 (lockdown) and 20–26 (post‐lockdown). Results: The total number of first‐time dispensed analgesic drugs was significantly lower in 2020 (367,094) than in 2019 (388,973, p = 0.021), with a notable reduction occurring during the lockdown period ( p = 0.003). Significant declines in first‐time dispensed analgesic drugs were observed among adolescents and adults during lockdown ( p < 0.001), particularly among females. In contrast, no significant changes were found among children and the elderly. The number of first‐time dispensed analgesic drugs during the pre‐ and post‐lockdown periods was comparable between the 2 years. Conclusion: Delayed healthcare during the lockdown was associated with a decrease in first‐time dispensed analgesic drugs, especially among adolescents and adults. This may indicate untreated pain or increased reliance on over‐the‐counter alternatives during this period. Significance Statement: This Nationwide Dutch study showed a significant decline in first‐time dispensed analgesic drugs during the first lockdown period of the COVID‐19 pandemic, especially among adolescents and adults. This may indicate untreated pain due to delayed healthcare or an increased reliance on over‐the‐counter alternatives during this period.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to healthcare and affected mental health. How these changes translated into the initiation of psychotropic treatment remains unclear. This study analyzed community-pharmacy dispensing data from the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK; 96% population coverage) to quantify first-time dispensing's of anxiolytics and antidepressants in weeks 1-26 of 2019 and 2020. Data were stratified by sex (male, female) and age (children 0-9 years, adolescents 10-19, adults 20-64, elderly ≥65). Three periods were evaluated: pre-lockdown (weeks 1-11), first lockdown (weeks 12-19; 15 March-11 May 2020), and post-lockdown (weeks 20-26). Repeated measures GLM with Bonferroni correction assessed within-year changes; paired t-tests compared 2019 with 2020 weekly counts. First time dispensings declined in 2020 versus 2019 for both anxiolytics (192,547 vs 205,612) and antidepressants (128,205 vs 141,943; both p < 0.001). Declines concentrated during lockdown. For anxiolytics, reductions were most pronounced in children and adolescents (both p < 0.001); adult males also showed a lockdown-period decrease (p = 0.016), whereas the elderly showed no significant change. For antidepressants, adolescents, adults and the elderly exhibited significant lockdown-period reductions (p < 0.0167). In both years, females received more first-time prescriptions than males (p < 0.001), but initiation decreased for both sexes during lockdown. Initiation of anxiolytic and antidepressant therapy fell during the first Dutch lockdown, most likely reflecting disrupted healthcare access and deferred care, rather than reduced need. Therefore, safeguards to preserve care initiation are warranted during future pandemics and associated lockdown periods.

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), also referred to as Long COVID, affects millions worldwide and is characterized by persistent fatigue, reduced immune fitness, and mood disturbances. The aim of the current study was to identify if immune fitness, mood, fatigue, and quality of life prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection could predict PASC fatigue severity. A retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted among 299 Dutch PASC patients. Participants completed validated measures of immune fitness, fatigue (assessed with both the Fatigue Severity Scale and a single-item scale), mood (including stress, anxiety, depression, hostility, loneliness, and happiness) and quality of life for the three months prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The same assessments were made for the month before survey completion (i.e., during PASC). Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to identify possible predictors of PASC fatigue severity. Participants were predominantly female (90%): mean age 44.1 (SD 11.2) years. Both assessments of PASC fatigue did not correlate significantly with the prior SARS-CoV-2 assessments of immune fitness, fatigue, mood, and quality of life. The regression analyses revealed no significant predictors for PASC fatigue severity. In conclusion, immune fitness, fatigue, mood and quality of life prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection were not identified as independent predictors of PASC fatigue severity.

Background: Fear of COVID-19 has been associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes, yet evidence from The Netherlands is limited. This study investigated associations between fear of COVID-19, mood, quality of life, immune fitness, and related health variables during the first Dutch national lockdown and identified key predictors of fear. Methods: In June–July 2020, n = 1020 Dutch adults completed an online survey assessing demographics, personality, mental resilience, pain sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, alcohol use, immune fitness, and mood. Retrospective ratings were provided for the pre-pandemic period (January–March 2020) and the first lockdown (March–May 2020). Fear of COVID-19 was measured using a modified Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results: Overall, 13.2% of participants reported significant fear of COVID-19, which was associated with poorer mood, reduced quality of life, lower immune fitness, more severe COVID-19 symptoms, greater pain sensitivity, and higher levels of pain catastrophizing. Regression analysis explained 19.6% of the variance, with pre-pandemic anxiety (8.7%) and poorer immune fitness (3.4%) as the strongest predictors of fear of COVID-19, followed by lower psychoticism, lower mental resilience, older age, greater helplessness, and greater extraversion. Discussion: These findings suggest that a minority experienced high levels of fear of COVID-19 with substantial consequences, including negative effects on mood, immune fitness, and quality of life. The strong association with pre-existing anxiety and immune fitness highlights the need for early identification and targeted interventions for vulnerable groups to reduce psychological and physical health impacts in future public health crises.

The 2019 coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic and associated lockdowns significantly disrupted healthcare systems, including access to pharmacological treatments such as sleep medication. This study investigated the number of first‐time dispensed hypnotic drugs during the first COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands, using data from the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK), which covers approximately 96% of all pharmacy dispensations (5.46 million patients). First‐time dispensing was defined as no use of hypnotics in the previous year and included benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine‐related drugs, and melatonin receptor agonists. Data from 2020 were analysed across three periods: pre‐lockdown (Weeks 1–11), lockdown (Weeks 12–19) and post‐lockdown (Weeks 20–26), and were compared to the same periods in 2019. Analyses were stratified by age group (children: 0–9, adolescents: 10–19, adults: 20–64, elderly: 65+) and sex. The data revealed a significant reduction in first‐time hypnotic dispensations in 2020 (155,961) compared to 2019 (168,814, p < 0.001), with declines across all three time periods ( p < 0.001). During the lockdown, significant reductions were found among children, adolescents, and adults ( p < 0.001), but not among the elderly. Female adults and the elderly received significantly more hypnotics than their male counterparts ( p < 0.001), consistent with higher reported rates of sleep disturbances. In conclusion, the overall number of first‐time dispensed hypnotics was significantly lower during the first COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands, except among the elderly. It remains unclear to what extent individuals self‐medicated with over‐the‐counter sleep medication, or experienced untreated sleep complaints during the first lockdown in the Netherlands.