Pfizer Ltd, Walton Oaks, UK – 12th March – Pfizer Consumer Healthcare has today announced its largest pharmacy training programme to date, to support pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in advance of the launch of Viagra Connect (sildenafil 50mg) as a Pharmacy (P) medicine for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men aged 18 and over.
Viagra Connect is due to be available in pharmacies across the UK and online from spring this year.
The training programme will utilise a variety of methods to accommodate a diverse range of learning styles, including e-learning modules, face-to-face sessions with Ceuta representatives, and regional meetings. The programme will be supported by trade press, feature articles and advertising, to ensure every pharmacist in the UK has access to the educational resources. Tailored content will also be available for pharmacy assistants, who may be the first point of contact for men presenting to the pharmacy with ED symptoms.
Digital training is also available via www.hcp.viagraconnect.co.uk, including educational videos, interactive content and print-and-keep resources. The online package includes essential information for the supply of Viagra Connect, access to a pharmacy checklist to help guide assessments, an overview of potential patient scenarios, and support on how to manage conversations about erectile dysfunction.
Paul Rose, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare UK General Manager, said: “Pfizer is committed to working with retail partners and pharmacists to ensure that they are ready to support men with erectile dysfunction. Our pharmacy programme is Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s biggest training and education roll-out to date in the UK and we’re excited to start delivering this into pharmacies.”
Kristie Sourial MRPharmS, Medical Manager, at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare said: “With men less likely than women to visit their GPi, the introduction of Viagra Connect presents a new opportunity for pharmacists to engage male customers in broader conversations about their health. Pharmacists are ideally placed to offer advice to men presenting with symptoms of erectile dysfunction, using their expertise and discretion to appropriately treat and refer as required.”
For more information, please visit www.hcp.viagraconnect.co.uk.
1 Wang, Hunt, Nazareth, Freemantle and Petersen (2010) Do men consult less than women? An analysis of routinely collected UK general practice data. Available at: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/8/e003320. Accessed: 8 February 2018
2 Viagra Connect Summary of Product Characteristics 2017