Key summary
- Pharmacy professionals should meet patient confidentiality and data protection requirements, including reviewing how information is stored, used or shared.
- Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should use AI tools in a transparent manner, and avoid using AI in any way that puts patients and the public at risk.
- The GPhC wants pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists to carry out due diligence to make sure AI tools are safe and serve the purpose.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has come out with a new position statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pharmacy, and urged pharmacy professionals to uphold professional integrity while using AI.
The position statement explains that pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners must continue to meet the GPhC’s standards at all times, including when using AI.
It makes clear that pharmacy professionals will remain personally accountable for their decisions and actions and must always use their professional judgement while using AI tools.
The position statement calls for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to use AI tools transparently and to avoid using AI in any way that puts patients and the public at risk.
They should meet patient confidentiality and data protection requirements, including reviewing how information is stored, used or shared.
They should explain to patients how AI is being used in their care, and any associated risks or benefits.
They should also seek consent from patients and the public where necessary.
They should understand how AI tools are intended to be used, their limitations and biases, and undergo training to use them.
They should also review outputs from AI tools for accuracy, bias or misleading information.
Pharmacy inspections
The GPhC wants pharmacy owners and superintendent pharmacists to do the following, and demonstrate this during pharmacy inspections:
- Carry out due diligence to ensure AI tools are safe, appropriate, and used in line with their intended purpose.
- Have clear governance arrangements, including risk assessments, data security, patient confidentiality and information governance.
- Make sure any AI tools used are supported by suitable training, so staff understand the system and its limitations.
- Make sure AI tools are monitored and reviewed as part of routine quality and risk management.
During inspections, our inspectors will also look for evidence that the standards for registered pharmacies are being met when AI tools are being used - including in relation to governance, staff competence, equipment, data protection and safety, the GPhC said.
Pharmacy education
Alongside the main position statement, the GPhC has also published supporting advice on the use of AI in pharmacy education and training, and the use of AI in revalidation.
According to GPhC, AI can support learning by improving efficiency, enabling realistic simulations and offering personalised learning tools, but the risks include over‑reliance on AI tools, loss of core skills, and exposure to biased or inaccurate outputs.
The regulator wants both education and training providers and learners to use AI in ways that are ethical, transparent and focused on patient safety, while maintaining academic integrity and preparing learners for practice.
Education providers should support learners to:- Understand both the benefits and risks of AI.
- Develop the skills to use AI ethically, safely and effectively.
- Meet GPhC standards and learning outcomes and ensure the authenticity of assessments.
Revalidation
The advice on the use of AI in revalidation sets out what the GPhC considers to be appropriate and inappropriate use of AI when preparing revalidation submissions, and reinforces the importance of honesty and professional integrity.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must make sure that their revalidation submissions are accurate and true.
They should not use AI to create full revalidation submissions or falsify information, and if they do so, they may face further investigation.
If pharmacists and pharmacy technicians use AI to support their revalidation, they must ensure this is done in a responsible and transparent way.
GPhC to work with other regulators
GPhC chief executive Kathie Cashell said, "Artificial intelligence has the potential to support improvements in pharmacy services and patient care, but it also brings new challenges. We want to support everyone working in pharmacy to use AI effectively to improve patient care, at the same time as protecting patient safety.
“We are planning further work in relation to AI as technologies continue to develop, including, for example, as part of the reviews of the standards we set for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and our standards for registered pharmacies. We will also continue to work closely with other regulators and organisations across health and care to support safe, effective and responsible use of AI.”
