Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What information does the Aegate Initiative provide to assist pharmacists at the point of dispensing?

  • Recalls (for all products)
  • Expired products
  • Products soon to be expired
  • Items previously dispensed elsewhere
  • Changes to product, strength, dose, packaging
  • Changes to patient information indication
  • Discontinuations
  • Concordance advice
  • Newly released scientific information

Where does the information come from?
Aegate delivers accurate information from trusted and reputable sources only, which include the APB and pharmaceutical companies. Information delivered expressly excludes commercial activities such as advertising and a independent pharmacy panel reviews every message to ensure they comply. The source of the message is displayed in the message. Messages can be switched off permanently if not required.

An audit conducted by KUL (the Catholic University of Leuven) in September 2008 showed that the Aegate authentication process is 100% reliable (99.8% statistical significance using a 95% confidence interval) and an effective method to identify authentic, recalled, expired and suspicious drugs at the point of dispensing.

Why is the information delivered to my workstation and not the back of shop?
The information is live. If we sent it to you in the back of the shop and the product sits on the shelf for a period of time - even one day - you may think it is OK but when you came to dispense, the product status could have changed.

How will I know how to achieve the best use of the initiative?
Aegate will send you a training guide; however the system is very intuitive. It is also quite unobtrusive, unless there is something you need to take note of, in which case a pop up window will appear with information and instructions.

Will I be overloaded with information?
No. There are only two types of information provided:

1) Serious product issues e.g. the item in your hand is recalled or expired.
These will only appear if the event occurs and you will be asked to acknowledge you have seen these by clicking the button OK. The message then disappears from your screen.

2) Patient safety information or reminders.
These will appear on occasions only related to an individual item as you dispense. In these messages there is a "one click" option to turn the message off. Turning off the message will remove it completely so the next time you dispense a similar pack it will not appear. This gives you the choice as to how long you feel it is relevant to be reminded of the specific information contained in the message.

Will the information make my screen busier? There is already so much information in there.
No. There is an unobtrusive additional column which discretely sits next to the product line. In this column a symbol will appear when you scan a product which will instantly tell you if the product is problematic or not. Your user guide will explain the symbols more fully but these are very intuitive. If there is something serious to take note of, for example the product has expired; a pop up window will appear which can be closed in one click.

If I receive some information but I still want to sell the product is this possible? Of course. The information is provided to assist with the dispensing decision but the professional judgement always remains with the pharmacist.

What technical requirements are there to be able to use Aegate?
You will need Broadband and connectivity from your back of store server to each dispensing workstation.

Does it matter if I type the product code or do I have to scan it?
If you type the CNK code only, you may miss some information such as recalls
If you scan the product, you will get the full and correct information as the serial number of the product will also be recognised, not only the CNK code. It is important to scan all products for a better result.

Will it slow down my system?
No. Response times are less than one second.

Who benefits from this initiative?

  • Patients: The whole ethos of the system is to increase confidence in patient safety.

  • Pharmacists: As professionals you do not only sell medicines, you give advice. Your professional service is distinctive and necessary for patient care. The initiative will provide pharmacies across Europe with improved information in order to be able to carry out this service to patients.

  • Pharmaceutical Companies: The industry remains liable for the quality of the medicines they manufacture, even after they have left their factory. The initiative can provide such assurance and effectively block any problematic problems from being dispensed. The network of pharmacy communications that the initiative will provide across Europe will ultimately ensure that if there is something you need to know about a products quality or safety, you will hear much more rapidly in the future.

  • Pharmacy associations: as part of national awareness about patient safety, pharmacy associations join the Aegate initiative to help their members to maximise their roles as trusted patient advisors.

If I want to try the initiative but later want to switch it off is this possible?
Yes. There is an off switch inside your software and we will provide the information for you to easily turn it off at any time.

How do I join the Aegate Initiative?
You just need to click here and fill in the form to register and download the pharmacy agreement.

Are my data protected?
All pharmacists are covered by the agreement stating that Aegate will not identify you or your pharmacy to any third party without your prior permission, except if required to do so by law. No patient or prescriber information is collected by Aegate.

Are there any patient care programmes I can join?
If you would like to join any patient care programmes, please contact us.