Sports Pharmacy with Integrity
Integrity standards exist to support the health and medication safety of athletes and public consumers interested in physical fitness and athletic performance. Sports Pharmacists play a vital role in pharmaco-surveillance and pharmacotherapy for athletes. Clinical governance and operational protocols related to drugs in sport guide the safe use of medications, substances, cell or gene therapy and other treatments used among athletes.
Sports Pharmacy Integrity strives to ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy organizations promote clean sport and support the movement in preventing doping. Support efforts in spreading awareness of the dangers of doping.
1. Comprehensive Medication Services includes an assessment of all substances through a review without judgment of the patient-athlete that employs methods to hold the patient-athlete accountable in the case of unsafe medication / supplement or illegal substance use choices.
2. Illegitimate use of any pharmacotherapy strictly for body image or performance enhancement by athletes is refused.
3. Remain updated on anti-doping rules and anti-doping laws with the ability to interpret these as they relate to pharmacy rules and regulations.
4. Promote the health benefits of physical fitness, including mental health.
5. Counsel patient-athletes on nutritional supplementation based on evidence-based facts, including the necessity of a food-first approach, to avoid use of dietary supplements without a clear benefit, eliminate additional financial burden to the user, and reduce the risk of contamination or health concerns associated with dietary supplement use.
6. Maintain medical records that conform to both patient privacy standards and non-disclosure agreements for athletes as a protected population.
Sports Pharmacists put into practice pharmacy services that focus on the care of athletes. Honesty and having strong moral principles to guide this practice ensure that we prioritize the health and well-being of athletes, as people with lives outside of sport. The drive to win, to get endorsements, or to learn more money by having more play time, are just a few of the unique stressors on athletes. In some cases, sports pharmacists act as the last stop before the athlete takes a pharmaceutical product, supplement or receives therapy.
How will the sports pharmacist intervene, when appropriate and when necessary?
What is the balance of high performance and long-term health?
Who is actually going to benefit from the athlete going back to their work in sports before they are ready?
A sports pharmacist can raise questions if concerns exist for the athlete or if therapies cross into uncharted territory where the outcomes are unknown. Ask. What standards guide these decisions? Is this ethical? What bias influences this decision? Has the athlete been fully informed?
To meet the high standards of sports pharmacy integrity, a pharmacist much become a qualified sports pharmacist that any competitive athletes, youth sports athletes or other sports persons would trust. This requires training beyond the typical pharmacy education.
Pharmacists, or student pharmacists, acquire knowledge in sports sciences, sports and exercise medicine, sports nutrition and dietary supplements, athlete rights, and sports integrity. Skills development through experience is matched with ongoing competency training, literature review, pharmacy rules and regulations, and awareness of anti-doping code and law.
Training and Qualifications for Sports Pharmacists
1. Formal pharmacy education completed at an accredited school or college of pharmacy.
2. Licensed or duly registered to practice pharmacy.
3. Fulfillment of Athlete Support Personnel (ASP) responsibilities.
4. Training in Patient Privacy and Athlete Rights, including recognising and reporting athlete abuse or mistreatment.
5. Annual completion of international/regional/national anti-doping training
Further training varies based on the pharmacy practice setting.
In Japan, Sports Pharmacists are required to complete the Sports Pharmacist System training program before claiming the title.
International credentialing by the International Olympic Committee with a Drugs in Sport Certificate (offered since 2019) and the upcoming IOC Sports Pharmacy Diploma may be sought for additional education.
Examples of additional training and certifications in areas deemed necessary for the pharmacy practice setting, legal scope of practice, and contracted pharmacy services include:
Sports Pharmacists understand the use of pharmacotherapeutics in the context of various sports. They develop and/or implement protocols for the selection and monitoring of any drugs or supplements used by patient-athletes. Additionally, sports pharmacists document and assist in managing medical use prohibited substances. Often, the sports pharmacist is a drug reference resource, who offers on-site drugs in sport information to ASP and/or athletes.