Royal Pharmaceutical Society Issues Guidance to Muslims on Safe Medicine Management During Ramadan

LONDON - The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) is urging Muslims who are taking medication, and fasting from sunrise to sunset during the religious festival of Ramadan, to seek advice from pharmacists on how to manage medicine intake effectively and safely in the interests of their health.

This year Ramadan begins on Friday 21 August and ends on Saturday 19 September. During this period Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset each day. This religious observance could pose a problem to individuals with chronic conditions requiring regular medication says the Society. Although people who are ill may be exempt from fasting, many who take regular oral medication may fast. By doing so they may not realise that fasting can mean disruption to treatment schedules and/or failure to absorb an active ingredient dependent on the ingestion of food - both factors which in turn can compromise a patient’s health and well being.

The RPSGB believes that spending just a few minutes discussing medication with a pharmacist will help to ensure it is taken correctly during fasting.

RPSGB spokesperson and pharmacist, Waqas Ahmad, himself a Muslim, offers the following advice. “Community pharmacists are easily accessible and can play a key role in helping and supporting people with their medicine use when they are fasting,” he says. “Discussing their plans with a pharmacist will allow patients to identify potential problems or difficulties. In turn possible solutions may be suggested to help people keep their fasts while continuing to take their medication in a safe and effective manner. In many cases pharmacists may be in a position to offer advice on different medicine formulations such as sustained release formulations, whereby the drug only requires one daily dose.”

The total number of Muslims in Great Britain is 2,422,000. Against a total UK population of 61,000,000 this means that potentially almost 4% of the population may be suffering from chronic long term conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure which require regular medicine intakes. Failure to comply with treatment for whatever reason may mean that they are putting their health at risk.

Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, is supportive of the RPSGB’s advice. He says; “Although the Qur’an says Muslims can be exempt from fasting, some people refuse to take advantage of the exemptions and allowances which are available. That higher type of piety isn’t required, especially where health complications are possible and can arise. We recognise that it’s important that people are able to observe their religious practice but are equally clear that they should not risk their health.”

Notes to Editor

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) is the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. It also regulates pharmacy technicians on a voluntary basis, which will become statutory from 1 July 2009. The primary objectives of the RPSGB are to lead, regulate, develop and represent the profession of pharmacy.

The RPSGB leads and supports the development of the profession within the context of the public benefit. This includes the advancement of science, practice, education and knowledge in pharmacy. In addition, it promotes the profession’s policies and views to a range of external stakeholders in a number of different forums.

Following the publication in 2007 of the Government White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century, the RPSGB is working towards the demerger of its regulatory and professional roles. This will see the establishment of a new General Pharmaceutical Council and a new professional body for pharmacy in 2010. For further information visit www.rpsgb.org.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is one of the most important months for Muslims as it is believed this is the month that the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. This year it begins Friday 21 August and ends Saturday 19 September. Although Muslims fast during other times of the year, Ramadan is the only time when fasting is obligatory during the entire month for every able Muslim.

Statistics

* Statistics taken from 2008 Labour Force Survey and www.statistics.gov.uk

Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society of GB

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