Development and Validation of Materials for the Pharmaceutical Care of Organ Transplant Recipients in Community Pharmacy: Survey on the Evaluation of Medication Information Leaflets for Organ Transplant Patients

Introduction:

Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure, but it also marks the beginning of a lifelong journey for patients. In 2023 alone, over 3,600 organ transplants were performed in Germany, with kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplants being the most common. Following a transplant, patients must take a combination of immunosuppressive medications to prevent their body from rejecting the new organ. These drugs, while essential, come with significant risks. Many of which have a very narrow therapeutic range and a high risk of drug interactions. Additionally, these medications have unique side effects that can affect mortality and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). As a result, organ transplant patients require constant medical monitoring and comprehensive education about their medications to ensure long-term graft survival and a better quality of life.

Community pharmacies in Germany have recognized the need to support these patients. Since 2022, community pharmacies have been offering pharmaceutical care services specifically tailored to organ transplant recipients, focusing on safe medication use and personalized counseling, including brown-bag reviews. This service is covered by health insurance and aims to reduce administration errors, improve therapy adherence, and enhance overall patient safety. However, despite nearly 4,000 new organ transplants each year, only a small fraction of these patients-less than 3%-benefit from these services annually. The reality is that public pharmacies rarely interact with transplant patients, as they make up a small group. Furthermore, there is currently a lack of adequate materials to support the provision of this service for transplant patients.

This research project addresses this gap by developing and validating specific materials that will help pharmacies deliver high-quality pharmaceutical care to organ transplant recipients. A key element of this project is the medication information leaflets designed by the investigators, which aim to enhance patients' understanding of their immunosuppressive therapy, reduce medication use errors, and ultimately improve medication safety.

The aim of this study is to collect feedback from organ transplant patients or their caregivers/relatives on these medication leaflets, using a questionnaire instrument called "Adapted Consumer Information Rating Form (CIRF)", developed by Krass et al. The results will help the investigators evaluate the quality of the medication information leaflets in terms of their content and design. This will also assist the investigators in adjusting the content to better meet the specific needs of this unique patient group in the future.