Pharmacists' perspectives on methamphetamine use disorder in the Australian community setting

Background: Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD) poses significant harm to individuals and communities. In Australia, pharmacies have been involved in harm reduction services, primarily focusing on opioids. While much is known about pharmacists' attitudes toward opioid use disorder, there is limited understanding of their perspectives and management of MUD. This study aimed to explore pharmacists' perspectives on the provision of services to clients with MUD. Methods: Recruitment of pharmacists involved a snow-ball and convenience sampling strategy across Sydney, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore pharmacists' perspectives on the treatment and management of MUD in the pharmacy setting. Transcribed interviews were qualitatively analysed using an inductive approach, coding themes from the data emerging. Results: Nineteen pharmacists completed the interviews. The strongest theme emerging from the transcripts described pharmacists' reported unfamiliarity with MUD. Participating pharmacists almost unanimously perceived there was a lack of educational resources surrounding MUD, inadequate university curricular on MUD, and a lack of support for pharmacists' role in any prospective MUD treatment programs. Conclusion: Studies indicate that pharmacists are often unfamiliar with MUD, which, along with insufficient educational resources, causes low confidence and hinders their ability to support individuals with MUD. Implementing targeted educational interventions for pharmacists is essential to improve their effectiveness in MUD treatment programmes.