Current status and future prospects of ICT literacy education in pharmaceutics toward Pharma Tech utilization

Abstract

In Japan, where education is being reformed toward the realization of a digital society, deeper discussions on ICT literacy education for pharmacists are needed. With a shift of pharmacist duties from objects to persons, the introduction and utilization of information and communication technology for pharmacists/pharmacists (specifically, that for pharmacies is called pharmaceutical technology: Pharma Tech) have become indispensable for better health outcomes, health services, and patient convenience. Pharmacists as health professionals are now expected not only to appropriately use Pharma Tech, but also to utilize it with an awareness of user experience (UX) design for patients. However, in current ICT literacy education for pharmacists, such an awareness is rarely observed. Therefore, it may be important to incorporate ICT literacy education into existing subjects, such as combining therapy applications with pharmacology and pathophysiology, information security with relevant laws and regulations, social networking with communication studies, and Pharma Tech with pharmaceutics, and provide it in these combinations through industry-academia collaboration.