Introduction: Breast cancer is a global health challenge with significant mortality, affecting millions worldwide. The current study is aimed at evaluating awareness and practices related to breast cancer screening, prevention, and treatment among the general public and physicians in Lahore, Pakistan, which has a significant incidence of breast cancer.Methodology: The current study adopted a cross‐sectional study design conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, between March and August 2023, among 404 participants from the general public and 240 physicians. Data collection and evaluation involved the use of validated questionnaires, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS Version 25.Result: In Lahore, Pakistan, breast cancer awareness among the public was low, with 80.2% unaware of its global prevalence, 65.3% believing not everyone is at risk, and only 42.1% recognizing symptoms. Females showed greater awareness (OR: 1.020, CI: 0.617–1.686, p = 0.002) and positive attitudes (OR: 2.711, CI: 1.478–6.478, p = 0.045), while the 18–29 age group had higher odds of positive practices (OR: 4.317, CI: 2.678–5.956, p = 0.004). Educational attainment significantly influences knowledge and attitudes. Only 13.9% practiced self‐examination. Among physicians, 88.8% were confident in screenings, but patient fear (42.9%) and financial barriers (79.2%) hindered action. Physicians with FCPS qualifications had higher odds of awareness (OR: 1.550, CI: 1.130–2.117, p = 0.007), attitudes (OR: 1.500, CI: 1.050–2.150, p = 0.025), and practices (OR: 1.470, CI: 1.070–2.017, p = 0.020). Those with 11–20 years of experience also showed better awareness (OR: 1.400, CI: 1.050–1.868, p = 0.022) and attitudes (OR: 1.450, CI: 1.045–2.018, p = 0.029).Conclusion: In conclusion, breast cancer awareness among the general public is limited, highlighting the need for tailored education programs. Although most physicians show high awareness, challenges in patient communication and barriers, such as fear and financial constraints, must be addressed to improve screening uptake. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted interventions to enhance public awareness, screening practices, and physician‐patient communication.

Ensuring drug safety among the patients is the main domain of pharmacovigilance activities worldwide. A pharmacovigilance system was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008. Research evidence reflects that the current system is lacking in active participation from patients, and also, the inadequate role of healthcare professionals is anticipated. In this context, it is pertinent to know the general public’s understandings and their patterns of safe use of medication, which are unexplored areas in Dubai, UAE. The current study aimed to explore the public views, attitudes, and experiences toward medication safety, and to explore key factors enhancing the safe use of medications among the public in Dubai. This study adopted a qualitative approach and face-to-face, 14 in-depth interviews with public individuals, selected purposively using the snowball sampling technique. The interviews were conducted in different places in Dubai recorded and transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed for data analysis. Reporting of adverse drug reaction was not well-known among all the participants. Public views towards safe use of medicines were limited to the side effects of the consumed medicines only, and to a lesser extent to the inappropriate indication and dosage. Most of the participants mentioned that gaining knowledge about the side effects of the prescribed drug was the main reason for reading the patient information leaflet. Quite a few participants have experienced side effects while consuming their medicines and they were unsure of how to deal with the situation. The current research also reflected the lack of proper communication between pharmacists and physicians in managing drug safety issues. Conclusively, the current research revealed gaps in public views regarding medication’s safety, which consequently may impact their attitudes during the course of medication use. Efforts need to be strengthened to enhance positive views and attitudes of the public towards medication safety and ADR reporting in the UAE.

Objective: Background: Warfarin has long been regarded as the cornerstone anticoagulant for patients requiring long-term prevention or treatment of thromboembolic disorders. With adequate knowledge and counseling skills, hospital and community pharmacists can play a major role in enhancing warfarin therapy. Objective: to evaluate the knowledge and counseling practices toward warfarin among community and hospital pharmacists in UAE. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving community and hospital pharmacies was conducted with online questionnaire which was submitted to pharmacists focusing on their pharmacotherapeutic knowledge and patient education toward warfarin in UAE. Data were collected within 3 months (July, August and September 2021). SPSS Version 26 was used to analyze the data. The survey questions were sent to expert researchers in pharmacy practice for comments on their relevancy, clarity, and essentiality. Results: Among the target population sample size of 400 pharmacists were approached. Majority of the pharmacists in UAE (157/400, 39.3%) had 1-5 years of experience. Most of the participants (52%) have fair knowledge about warfarin and (62.1%) of them have fair counseling practices about warfarin. Hospital pharmacists have more knowledge than community pharmacists (Mean rank, Independent pharmacy: 166.30, Chain pharmacy: 138.01, Hospital pharmacy: 252.27, p<0.05) and they have better counseling practice than community pharmacists (Mean rank, Independent pharmacy: 188.83, Chain pharmacy: 170.18, Hospital pharmacy: 222.90, p<0.05). Conclusion: The study’s participants had moderate knowledge and counseling practices of warfarin. As a result, specialized training in warfarin therapy management for pharmacists is needed to improve therapeutic outcomes and avoid complications. Moreover, conferences or online courses should be held to train pharmacists on how to provide professional counseling to patients. Pharmacy Practice is a free full-text journal with a scope on the practice of pharmacy. Pharmacy Practice covers pharmaceutical care, social pharmacy, pharmacy education, process and outcome research, health promotion and education, health informatics, pharmacoepidemiology

Objectives: This paper aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of community pharmacists in regard to dispensing over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics with the aim of bringing their professional knowledge up to date and promoting best practices to optimize the use of antibiotics and slow the rise in resistance. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used to assess the knowledge and practice of community pharmacists towards OTC Antibiotic Dispensing. Participants were issued an invitation through verified and official WhatsApp and Facebook accounts of community pharmacists residing in the United Arab Emirates to fill in a validated-web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of four sections. It aimed to gather basic demographic data, and address knowledge and practice amongst pharmacists of dispensing OTC antibiotics. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26. Key findings: A total number of 438 participating community pharmacists in the study completed the whole questionnaire. The average knowledge score was 68.6% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of [66.9%, 70.2%]. The average practice score was 71.4% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of [69.5%, 73.2%]. Conclusions: It is recommended that several interventions are launched to promote improved prescribing behaviour, particularly ensuring that all pharmacies receive standardized guidelines on antibiotic use and inviting pharmacists to workshops and other training programmes dedicated to promoting rational drug use. Moreover, regulatory bodies must devise, enforce and monitor the implementation of policies governing how antibiotic prescriptions and patient consultations are managed by community pharmacists.

Self-medication is a widespread practice globally involving the use of medications without direct medical supervision. While it provides convenience and cost savings, it poses risks such as misdiagnosis, incorrect dosages, adverse drug interactions, and antibiotic resistance. This study assessed the prevalence, determinants, and perceptions of self-medication among adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and evaluated the impact of a brief educational intervention on public awareness and attitudes. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted among 400 participants using structured, face-to-face surveys, followed by an educational intervention that included a targeted brochure. Post-intervention feedback was collected directly using an online survey. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS v. 29. Self-medication was reported by (78%) of participants, primarily for minor ailments, with key drivers including the perceived unimportance of the illness (79.3%), prior knowledge of drugs (61.3%), and accessibility to pharmacies (42.5%). Chronic illness was significantly associated with increased self-medication. Despite 47.8% reporting awareness of drug interactions, only 38.6% could identify examples. Antibiotic misuse was noted in (24.5%) of cases. Participant narratives revealed real-life harms, including pediatric dosing errors, herbal misuse during pregnancy, and delayed diagnosis due to symptom masking. The educational intervention improved understanding in 88.3% of respondents, and 79% expressed interest in further education. Self-medication was significantly associated with age, gender, education, and insurance status (p < 0.05). Self-medication is highly prevalent in the UAE, influenced by demographic and access-related factors. Despite moderate awareness, critical knowledge gaps persist. Educational tools and stronger pharmacist engagement can enhance safe medication use. Targeted interventions are needed to promote responsible self-care and regulatory compliance.

Background: Self-medication and acquisition of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are emerging community health issues. Besides being a cheap alternative for treating common illnesses, the behavior entails serious ramifications, such as medication wastage, increasing pathogen resistance, and adverse drug reactions. So, the purpose of the present study was to explore and understand the consumption of commonly used OTC drugs and dietary supplements in Dubai and also assess individuals’ self-care behaviors related to OTC and dietary supplements. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was adopted in the present study and 200 participants were included in this study. Data was entered and analyzed through SPSS version 22. While the chi-square test was conducted to find out significance among variables. Findings: Results from the current study showed that more than a quarter of the participants (31%) were male and 69% of them were females. The prevalence of OTC drugs and dietary supplements was higher (98%) among the individuals living in Dubai. The majority of participants (80%) used analgesics as OTC drugs. Results also revealed that 35.5% of participants used vitamins on a daily basis, 11% used them on weekly basis, and 5.5% used them on monthly basis. While 79.5% of participants obtained their OTC drugs and dietary supplements from community pharmacies. Conclusion: This study provides significant findings regarding an individual’s knowledge and behavior for utilizing OTC drugs and dietary supplements. The result has drawn from the present study can help the policymakers, and stakeholders to promulgate and effectiveness of policies and program implementation within the country. Lastly future studies with larger samples are required for the generalizability of the study results. Pharmacy Practice is a free full-text journal with a scope on the practice of pharmacy. Pharmacy Practice covers pharmaceutical care, social pharmacy, pharmacy education, process and outcome research, health promotion and education, health informatics, pharmacoepidemiology