| Summary: | Community and hospital pharmacists provide important counselling to patients using medical devices (MDs) and drug-delivery products (DDPs). The aim of this study was to assess the current medical technology education of MDs and DDPs for pharmacy students and pharmacists in Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway. A qualitative explorative survey with focus group approach was undertaken among academic staff members, BSc or MSc Pharm students aand representatives of community and hospital pharmacists from May to october 2014 using an internet based questionnaire. Total 50 responses were collected: 34 from academia and 16 from professional organizations. Two third of the respondents considered professional knowledge about MDs as important for pharmacists. Of practicing pharmacists, more than half reported to never participated in any continuing education courses about MDs and DDPs. At universities, the knowledge on MDs and DDPsas in most cases obtained in the courses of medicine and pharmaceutical technology. Specialists of MDs or medical technology industry were more involved in the courses for practicing pharmacists than for pharmacy students. [.].
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