Examining pharmacists' anti-doping knowledge and skills in assisting athletes to avoid unintentional use of prohibited substances.

This article investigates the knowledge and skills of community pharmacists in Sydney, Australia, regarding the prevention of prohibited medication use by athletes, focusing on advice about salbutamol inhaler use—a substance conditionally prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. Using a simulated-patient telephone study, it found that while 66% of pharmacists provided appropriate clinical advice and 68% gave suitable anti-doping advice, only 11% delivered comprehensive guidance covering both aspects. The study highlights gaps in pharmacists' core knowledge, history-taking, and use of accurate resources, underscoring the need for enhanced education in sport-related pharmacy and the integration of anti-doping responsibilities into professional practice guidelines to better support athlete-patients.