CRITICISM of pharmacists during a segment on British breakfast TV show, This Morning, has attracted more than 2,300 complaints, the UK's communications regulator, Ofcom revealed.
Journalist, Sam Delaney, took aim at the National Health Service's (NHS's) push to encourage pharmacists to play a more proactive role in engaging patients about health issues, describing the highly trained health professionals as "pretend doctors" whose job was "to collect the box of pills behind them" (PD yesterday).
The Pharmaceutical Journal reported that the total of 2,313 complaints lodged against the show placed among the top 10 most complained about programs of the last decade.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society President, Sandra Gidley, described Delaney's comments as "extremely disappointing and concerning".
"Pharmacists, including myself, were infuriated by the comments made denigrating a profession which, on a daily basis, saves people's lives," she said.
"Given that many described the NHS as being at breaking point, particularly with growing Accident and Emergency waiting times and staffing shortages, we should be recognising and promoting the vital role pharmacists play in providing healthcare and supporting patients."
Delaney has been notably quite since.
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