The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has issued advice to pharmacists following a 'small but consistent increase' in issues involving the use of social media.

This includes fitness to practise (FtP) cases and other requests for member support, the PDA confirmed.

The PDA has seen cases where pharmacists 'have posted criticism of their employer, shared their political views, or been involved in the promotion/sale of products which may not be in keeping with the professional standards for pharmacists', Alison Jones, PDA director of policy and communications told The Pharmacist.

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She also warned about the 'growing use' of 'informal and unverified social media groups where professional opinion or advice may be sought or exchanged'.

'We want to remind members of the risks of accepting well-meaning but unverified advice or giving advice with the intention of being helpful without being cognisant of the full patient history or clinical scenario,' Ms Jones added.

Advice to pharmacists using social media

In guidance issued earlier this month, the PDA said that 'while pharmacists have the same rights as others to freedom of expression, belief, and privacy, these rights must be exercised thoughtfully, keeping in mind their potential impact on the rights and interests of others'.

The PDA advised pharmacists discussing health-related topics on social media to identify themselves as a pharmacist, and share context so that those engaging 'can accurately understand, verify, and trust the information'.

Pharmacists should ensure 'the information they provide on social media is accurate, truthful, and not misleading', and should 'never misrepresent their qualifications or experience', the PDA added.

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And when promoting services or endorsing products or services on social media, pharmacists 'must clearly disclose any personal interests or affiliations that could influence their recommendations' and 'ensure that their activities comply with all relevant laws and guidelines from bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority'.

Risk of defamation when sharing negative experiences online

The PDA also warned about the risks of responding to reviews and sharing negative experiences of a company online. 'Threats of defamation claims as a result of social media posts should be taken seriously. Anyone who needs to raise complaints must do it in the right way. Social media may not be the correct or best place,' the PDA said.

And it reminded pharmacists to be careful not to identify patients through cumulative information shared online.

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The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) recently issued a joint enforcement notice with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), urging pharmacies to ‘immediately’ review their advertising and remove any adverts for named prescription-only medicines (POMs) for weight loss.

And in February, the MHRA had separately asked online treatment service providers to review their influencer strategies for weight-loss medications.