CHALLENGES OF PHARMACEUTICAL COUNSELING IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract

Introduction: This study analyzed the challenges of pharmaceutical counseling in community pharmacies in the context of increasing digitalization of health services and the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI). Technological expansion has transformed clinical practices, demanding that professionals reconfigure their competencies to maintain quality and humanized care. General Objective: To understand the changes in pharmacists’ practices and the impact of new technologies, particularly AI, on clinical care and pharmaceutical counseling within community pharmacy settings. Methodology: An integrative literature review was conducted between 2023 and 2025 to identify relevant publications on the topic in national and international scientific databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria prioritized recent studies in Portuguese and English related to pharmaceutical practice and the use of digital health technologies. Development: The results indicated that AI provides significant advances, such as greater diagnostic accuracy, integration of electronic health records, teleconsultations, and predictive analysis of clinical data. However, risks such as excessive automation, dissemination of inaccurate information, and depersonalization of care were also observed. In this context, the pharmacist’s role expands from being merely a dispenser of medicines to becoming a health educator and a critical mediator of information. Conclusion: It is concluded that balancing technological innovation with humanized care is essential to consolidate community pharmacies as strategic spaces for health promotion. The ethical and conscious integration of AI into pharmaceutical practices strengthens the pharmacist’s role as a key agent mediating between technology and patients, ensuring safety, effectiveness, and quality of care.