CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH CARE PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES TODAY: CHALLENGES, ADVANCES, AND

Abstract

Pharmaceutical care is an essential component of health care, encompassing actions related to the selection, acquisition, storage, distribution, dispensing, and monitoring of medication use. This study aimed to analyze the importance of pharmaceutical care today, highlighting its main challenges and its contribution to promoting rational medication use and improving health care. An integrative literature review was conducted between January and March 2026 in PubMed, the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS). A total of 248 records were identified, of which 36 were removed as duplicates. After screening titles and abstracts and assessing full texts, 24 studies comprised the final sample. Methodological quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools, and data were organized through a standardized extraction instrument developed by the authors. The findings showed that pharmaceutical care has expanded beyond logistical activities to incorporate patient-centered clinical practices. Benefits were identified in medication therapy management, medication reconciliation, identification of drug-related problems, treatment adherence, and patient safety, particularly among older adults and users experiencing polypharmacy. However, challenges persist regarding medication shortages, management weaknesses, bureaucratic workload, structural limitations, and the need for greater interprofessional integration. It is concluded that strengthening pharmaceutical care requires professional training, adequate infrastructure, management support, and expansion of pharmaceutical care practices, contributing to rational medication use, patient safety, and improved health outcomes for the population. These measures are particularly relevant to strengthening continuity of care and ensuring more effective, safe, equitable, and patient-centered health services today, overall.