A new e-learning module to help healthcare professionals manage polypharmacy and reduce the risks linked to drug interactions has been launched by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
The course, entitled ‘Managing Polypharmacy and CYP3A Drug Interactions’, is designed for pharmacists, GPs, nurse prescribers and wider multidisciplinary teams across primary and secondary care in the UK and will launch in October 2025 to address what the RPS has identified as ‘a key gap in training’.
Polypharmacy is defined as taking five or more medicines and it now affects around 15% of the UK population, especially older adults with multiple long-term health conditions. While it increases the risk of adverse drug interactions, ‘many prescribers receive limited training in this area,’ the RPS said.
The three-hour online module will focus on drug interactions involving the CYP3A enzyme system, which is responsible for metabolising 30-50% of commonly prescribed medicines. These include erythromycin, HIV antivirals, benzodiazepines, statins and calcium channel blockers.
It comprises short explainers videos and expert podcasts, interactive case studies across key specialities, patient interviews, and content on emerging tools such as pharmacogenomics and artificial intelligence in prescribing.
It will be available for free to RPS members through the RPS Learn platform, and to other healthcare professionals through EL Healthcare Education’s ELELearn platform.
Safer, person-centred care
Helen Chang, head of professional development at the RPS, said: ‘This module supports our commitment to safer, person-centred care by helping prescribers manage the risks of polypharmacy more effectively.
‘As treatments become increasingly complex, it’s vital healthcare professionals feel confident identifying and managing drug interactions. We’re proud to be working with EL Healthcare Education to provide practical tools and expert insights to support safer prescribing decisions across the healthcare system.’
Lizzie Mills, co-founder of EL Healthcare Education, added: ‘This module is designed to give prescribers the practical knowledge and confidence to identify and manage high-risk drug interactions. We’re proud to be working with RPS and leading clinical experts to equip frontline teams with the tools they need to keep patients safe.’
The module has been created in partnership with EL Healthcare Education and financial support was provided by Pfizer International LLC through a Medical Education Grant.
A version of this article was originally published by our sister publication The Pharmacist.
