Community pharmacists play a central role in the healthcare continuum, serving as the link between patients and stakeholders in the healthcare industry. Historically associated with dispensing medications, their role has expanded considerably over the years to include prevention, vaccination, screening, patient support, conducting tests, and new methods of medication dispensing. This evolution of their responsibilities has made them an indispensable point of contact today—for patients as well as for pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers.
A set of competencies defined by the French Public Health Code
The duties of community pharmacists are primarily governed by the Public Health Code (Articles L.5125-1-1 A et seq.) and by the guidelines of the National Order of Pharmacists. These duties fall into several main categories :
- Dispensing medications, which is not limited to simply handing them over: it includes the pharmaceutical analysis of the prescription, verification of dosages, identification of drug interactions, and the provision of related advice.
- Compounding and custom-made preparations, a long-standing practice that remains the exclusive domain of pharmacists and has seen a resurgence of interest during the recent shortages of pediatric amoxicillin and quetiapine.
- Pharmacovigilance and medical device vigilance, including the obligation to report adverse drug reactions and incidents related to medical devices.
- Pharmaceutical counseling, both in the context of self-medication and as support for chronic treatments.
Expanded missions: from dispensing to primary care
Over the past fifteen years, the profession of community pharmacist has undergone a significant transformation. Without calling into question its historical role in the dispensing and safety of medicines, several successive reforms have gradually broadened its missions in terms of prevention, patient support and, more recently, the management of certain clinical situations.
New missions of the pharmacist enacted by the HPST law
Law No. 2009-879 of 21 July 2009, known as the “HPST” law, is a major step in this evolution. It enshrines in the French Public Health Code new missions for dispensing pharmacists and recognises in particular their contribution to primary care, cooperation between health professionals (HCPs), continuity of care, health monitoring and protection actions as well as therapeutic education and patient support.
Development of pharmaceutical support
From 2012, pharmaceutical support developed with the gradual implementation of new missions paid by the Health Insurance.
Pharmaceutical interviews have been developed in particular for certain populations requiring special follow-up : patients treated with oral anticoagulants, asthmatic patients on inhaled corticosteroids and then patients on oral anti-cancer drugs.
The Shared Medication Assessment has been added to these systems for elderly patients with multiple medications. It allows the pharmacist to analyse the treatments taken by the patient, to identify any difficulties and to contribute, in coordination with the physician, to their proper use.
The role of the pharmacist is thus evolving towards long-term patient support, beyond the occasional delivery of a treatment.
Prescribing and administering certain vaccines
In 2017, a new step was taken with the experimentation of influenza vaccination by pharmacists, before it was generalized.
Vaccination skills were then gradually extended, particularly during the Covid-19 vaccination campaign.
Since 2023, subject to compliance with the training and practice conditions set out in the texts, pharmacists can prescribe and administer a much wider range of vaccines to people covered by the vaccination recommendations.
Testing and screening : a growing intervention upstream of treatment
At the same time, pharmacists’ skills have developed in rapid diagnostic orientation tests (TROD) and screening.
The evolution is particularly notable for group A streptococcal strep throat and simple acute cystitis in women. Since 2024, pharmacists who meet the regulatory conditions can, in certain precisely regulated situations, carry out the appropriate test and, when the result justifies it, dispense certain antibiotics without a prescription.
A new step towards the management of clinical situations
The expansion of competences will continue in 2026. Law No. 2026-668 of 27 July 2026, aimed at providing France with a national strategy to combat cardio-neuro-vascular diseases, has again amended Article L.5125-1-1 A of the French Public Health Code.
The French legislator now provides for the possibility for pharmacists, under conditions that must be specified by regulation:
- to dispense certain medicinal products without a prescription, for specific indications, after carrying out a diagnostic orientation test (The list of medicinal products, the indications concerned, the necessary diagnostic orientation tests and the results allowing the dispensing must be determined by decree)
- to contribute to the evaluation and management of certain clinical situations, the list and modalities of which must be fixed by decree;
- to measure blood pressure as part of the prevention of cardio-neuro-vascular risks.
The scope of intervention of the dispensing pharmacist has therefore been considerably enriched in recent years. As an expert in medicines, he has also become a local player in prevention, screening, therapeutic support and primary care. This development also reinforces his role as an interlocutor for pharmaceutical laboratories and medical device manufacturers, particularly on the issues of proper use, information and training.
Specific skills in medical devices
While medication remains at the heart of its activity, the dispensing pharmacist is also involved in the delivery and proper use of many medical devices : self-monitoring devices, drug delivery devices, dressings, compression devices, orthopaedic products and certain devices intended for home care.
However, its level of intervention varies according to the nature of the device and its scope of coverage. For medical devices listed on the List of Products and Services (LPP) and reimbursed by the Health Insurance, the dispensing must comply with the prescription, coverage and dispensing conditions provided for by the regulations and the applicable nomenclature. Certain categories of devices may also require specific skills or qualifications, particularly in the field of orthopaedics.
In addition to dispensing, the pharmacist plays an important role in supporting the patient in the use of the delivery device. Depending on the product concerned, he or she may be required to explain how it works, its conditions of use and maintenance, to ensure that it is well understood by the patient and to provide the necessary advice for its proper use. This dimension is particularly important for devices used directly by the patient at home and for devices integrating digital or connected functionalities.
Its proximity to users also gives it a place in the monitoring of medical devices after they have been placed on the market. As a healthcare professional, pharmacists may be confronted with incidents or risks of incidents associated with the use of a device and participate, in this context, in the medical device vigilance system in accordance with the applicable reporting obligations.
Finally, as part of the substitution of biosimilars introduced in 2022, the pharmacist accompanies the patient in learning the new administration system, if applicable.
- What are the challenges for pharmaceutical laboratories and medical device manufacturers?
The gradual expansion of the skills of the dispensing pharmacist is also changing his or her place in the health product environment. For pharmaceutical laboratories and medical device manufacturers, this evolution means taking into account a professional who is now involved at different stages of the patient journey, from prevention to treatment follow-up.
Through their proximity to patients, pharmacists play an essential role in the proper use of medicines and medical devices. In particular, they can explain the methods of administration or use, support the handling of certain devices, identify difficulties encountered by the patient and contribute to compliance and safety of treatments. This dimension is particularly important for chronic treatments, drugs requiring specific administration methods or medical devices whose proper use partly determines their effectiveness.
The pharmacist no longer intervenes only at the time of dispensing a previously prescribed product. Vaccination, screening, TRODs or the possibility of dispensing certain drugs without a prescription in supervised situations now position them further upstream in certain care pathways.
The scope of pharmacy skills continues to evolve in line with legislative, regulatory and contractual reforms. For pharmaceutical laboratories and medical device manufacturers, monitoring these developments is therefore both a regulatory and strategic issue: what missions can pharmacists perform? Under what conditions? What role can they play with regard to a given product? And what actions can the manufacturer implement with pharmacy teams?
Precisely understanding the scope of the skills of dispensing pharmacists and anticipating its changes makes it possible to adapt the information, training and support strategies of the health industries while securing their regulatory compliance.
Do you want to assess the role of the dispensing pharmacist in the journey of your drug or medical device, or secure your information and training actions with pharmacy teams? Atessia supports you in the analysis of the applicable regulatory framework and the compliance of your projects.
Article written by Johanna DROUVILLE, Legal Consultant specialized in Health Law