Background/Aim Pharmacists' competence represents a dynamic framework of knowledge, skills and abilities to carry out tasks, and it reflects on improving the quality of life and on patients’ health. One of the documents for the Evaluation and Competency Development of Pharmacists is the Global Competency Framework (GbCF). The aim of this study was to implement the GBCF document into Serbian pharmacies, to perform assessment and self assessment of the competencies. Methods The assessment and self-assessment of pharmacists’ competencies were performed during the period 2012−13 year in eight community pharmacy chains, in seven cities in Serbia. For assessment and self-assessment of pharmacists competencies the GbCF model was applied, which was adjusted to pharmaceutical practice and legislation in Serbia. External assessment was conducted by teams of pharmacists using the structured observation of the work of pharmacists during regular working hours. Evaluated pharmacists filled out the questionnaire about demographic indicators about the pharmacist and the pharmacy where they work. Results A total of 123 pharmacists were evaluated. Pharmacists’ Professional Competency Cluster (KK1) had the lowest score (average value 2.98), while the cluster Management and Organizational Competency (KK2) had the highest score (average value 3.15). The competence Recognition of the Diagnosis and Patient Counseling (K8), which belonged to the cluster KK1, had the lowest score (average value for assessment and self-assessment were 2.09, and 2.34, respectively) among the all evaluated competencies. Conclusion GbCF might be considered as an instrument for the competencies' evaluation/selfevaluation and their improvement, accordingly.

ABSTRACT We carried out a cross-sectional, web-based study to identify predictors (personal characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes) of Serbian pharmacists' decisions to decline emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) dispensing. In total, 452 questionnaires were completed and analyzed. Half of the surveyed pharmacists had poor knowledge of ECP. Almost the same number (42%) had either never undertaken training in these products or did not remember having training. The less knowledgeable respondents were more likely to decline ECP provision overall (OR 1.862) and in particular circumstances (nonintended user (OR 1.412) or >72 h after intercourse (OR 1.445)). To expand availability of these products, well-organized trainings are needed.

Non-maleficence represents one of the basic ethical principles that health care providers should be guided by during service delivery. Establishment of patient safety is nowadays recognized as an issue of global concern in health care and a critical component of quality management. The aim of this paper is to provide a literature review of the patient safety and medication errors concept, with special attention given to defining the most significant terms, analyzing the causal factors and reviewing their classification. Raising awareness about the importance of patient safety has resulted in an increase in the number of medication error studies over the last decade. The traditional approach which makes health workers responsible for reduction of incidents is replaced by the modern concept which implies the involvement of all stakeholders at all levels of the system. In developed countries, the application of prospective risk management models for specific health care processes has already started. However, all these studies are mainly carried out at the secondary and tertiary levels of health care, while they are almost non-existent at the primary level. In the Republic of Serbia, a Rulebook on indicators of the quality of health care has been recently adopted, but a trend of significant lack of data regarding patient safety can be noticed due to inadequate reporting. It is necessary to continue with the homogenization of terminology and to increase the number of analyses of causal factors with the aim of prospective risk identification, particularly in developing countries such as the Republic of Serbia. Acta Medica Medianae 2016;55(2):57-64.

Adherence is tremendously important for efficiency and safety of pharmacotherapy and has a significant influence on its clinical, economic and humanistic outcomes, which can be observed both on the individual level of the patient as well as on the overall healthcare system. The inadequate degree of adherence is a long-lasting and widely present problem which can have immense and long-term consequences. Therefore, the issue of adherence is a big challenge for medical professionals in clinical practice. The concept of adherence is based on cooperation between patients and medical team members in the process of therapy management. It is focused on patients and implies a two-way transfer of information, agreement and shared responsibility for success in realization of adequate therapy regime and defined goals. Although there are numerous methods for adherence assessment, the evaluation of this parameter is still considered problematic. The complexity of adherence can be seen in its multidimensionality since numerous factors which individually and in mutual interaction affect medicine-taking behavior and thus create a framework that determines the achieved level of adherence have been identified and analyzed. Considering the fact that poor adherence is one of the main preventable causes of unsatisfactory therapy results and excessive costs of medical care, it is evidently necessary to ensure a high quality base in the form of knowledge, skills and motivation at the healthcare system level for adherence evaluation and improvement, as well as a multidisciplinary approach based on coordinated activities of healthcare policy creators, researchers and medical professionals. Acta Medica Medianae 2016;55(1):51-58.

The aim of the study was to determine the presence of risk factors for developing hypertension in the University of Belgrade student population whose faculties do not provide the opportunity to learn about these factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted during November and December 2015 at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Electric Engineering and the Faculty of Law. The respondents filled in a questionnaire, which was approved by the Ethics Committee for bio-medical research from the Faculty of Pharmacy. The study included 487 students. 56.7% were male students. Most of the respondents studied Law (210), followed by Mechanical Engineering (168) and Electrical Engineering (109). 75.8% of respondents consumed salty snacks, while 34.5% of them changed their habits of consuming snacks during the examination period. Fish was consumed less than once a week by 39.8% of the respondents, whereas 19.9% of them consumed candies every day. 63.9% consumed fast food. Energy drinks were not consumed by the majority (52.2%), while 22.4% only consumed them before an exam. The research results indicated the presence of reversible risk factors in the examined student population. In order to prevent the development of hypertension in the elderly population and reduce the number of risk factors present, it is necessary to develop educational programs for proper diet and adequate intake of food groups.

Objective: Stem cells could be defined as cell with an extraordinary capacity for self-renewal and the ability to differentiate into different cell types. The aim of this study is to examine students' opinion about the use of stem cells as health technologies in disease treatment and radical life extension. Method: Prospective cross-sectional study was conducted as a questionnaire, which was filled anonimly and voluntarily. Results: In this study 655 respondents have participated, with an average age 21.9±}1.8 years. High percentage distribution was concluded with most of the statements, with especially positive attitude towards the preservation of stem cells for their own treatment (84.2%), and treatment of their families (85.4%). Dominantly neutral attitude was expressed according to a statement about the reliability of stem cells and doubts about their implementation.(49.4%).There was no statistically significant difference in students' opinion between different faculties. Conclusion: It is important to evaluate students' opinion because it can obtain information on how the respondents agree with the potential implementation of health technology in the future and, accordingly, whether it is justified to continue further research. We should be more dedicated to informing students in the future, and this type of research should be implemented on a wider population to obtain the relevant results and perform more reliable conclusion.

Summary Introduction: The pharmacists played an important role in the development of biochemistry as applied chemistry in Serbia. What is more, the first seven state chemists in Ser bia were pharmacists. State chemists performed the chemicaltoxicological analysis as well as some medical and biochemical ones. When it comes to the education of medical biochemists as health workers, the period after the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century should be taken into account because that is when the training of pharmaceutical staff of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, begins on the territory of Serbia. This paper presents the development of medical biochemistry through the development of curriculum, personnel and literature since the foundation of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Serbia until today. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the historical development of biochemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, through analysis of three indicators: undergraduate and postgraduate education of medical biochemists, teaching literature and professional associations and trade associations. Method: The method of direct data was applied in this paper. Also, desktop analysis was used for analyzing of secondary data, regulations, curricula, documents and bibliographic material. Desktop research was conducted and based on the following sources: Archives of the University of Belgrade- Faculty of Pharmacy, Museum of the History of Pharmacy at the University of Belgrade-Faculty of Pharmacy, the Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and the Serbian Chamber of Biochemists. Results and conclusion: The curricula, the Bologna process of improving education, the expansion of the range of subjects, the number of students, professional literature for teaching biochemistry, as well as professional associations and trade associations are presented through the results. Krotak sadržaj Uvod: Značajnu ulogu u razvoju biohemije kao primenjene hemije dali su farmaceuti, pa su čak prvih sedam državnih hemičara u Srbiji bili apotekari. Državni hemičar obavljao je hemijsko-toksikološke analize kao i neke medicinsko-bio- hemijske analize. O školovanju medicinskih biohemičara kao zdravstvenih radnika može se govoriti od druge polovine XX veka, kada na teritoriji Srbije počinje školovanje farmaceutskog kadra na Farmaceutskom fakultetu u Beogradu. U radu je prikazan razvoj medicinske biohemije kroz razvoj nastavnih planova i programa, stručnog kadra i literature na Farmaceutskom fakultetu u Beogradu od njegovog osnivanja do danas. Cilj: Cilj rada je da se prikaže istorijski razvoj biohemije na Farmaceutskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Beogradu analizom tri indikatora: dodiplomskog i poslediplomskog obrazovanja medicinskih biohemičara; nastavne literature i stručnih udruženja i strukovnih asocijacija. Metode: U radu je primenjena metoda direktnih podataka i, gde je bilo potrebno, korišćena je desktop analiza pomoću koje su analizirani sekundarni podaci, uredbe, nastavni planovi i programi, dokumenta i bibliografska grada. Desktop istraživanje je realizovano na osnovu slededh izvora: Arhive Univerziteta u Beogradu - Farmaceutskog fakulteta, Muzeja za istoriju farmacije Univerziteta u Beogradu - Farmaceutskog fakulteta, Društva medicinskih biohemičara Srbije i Komore biohemičara Srbije. Rezultati i zaključak: Kroz rezultate prikazani su nastavni planovi i programi, Bolonjski proces unapređenja nastave, širenje opsega predmeta, broj studenata, stručna literatura za nastavu iz biohemije i stručna udruženja i strukovne asocijacije.

Abstract Objectives To examine Serbian gynaecologists’ attitudes and practices related to contraception and abortion, as the principal alternative to contraception. Methods A self-reported questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of gynaecologists attending educational meetings of a medical society from October 2012 to October 2013. The data gathered were assessed by means of univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Almost half of the respondents had ethical objections and would refuse to provide certain contraceptives to patients. Two thirds of the gynaecologists (63%) considered fertility awareness methods to be a poor option for most women. Twenty-three percent objected to abortion. Those who objected to contraceptives were less likely to object to abortions (OR: 0.422). This attitude was more prevalent in Southern and Eastern Serbia, where gynaecologists were more likely to object (OR: 4.892) and to refuse to prescribe contraceptives (OR: 4.161), but less likely to object to abortion (OR: 0.278) than in other regions. Conclusions A large proportion of Serbian gynaecologists objected to some contraceptive methods and were more in favour of abortions, especially in the least developed regions. Chinese Abstract 摘要 目的：调查塞尔维亚妇产科医生对避孕以及避孕的主要替代方式-流产的态度和行为。 方法：一项自我报告的调查问卷发放给参加2012年10月到2013年10月医学会教育会议的妇产科医生。收集的数据采用单因素及多因素分析。 结果：几乎一半的受访者有伦理上的异议，并拒绝提供某些避孕药给患者。三分之二的妇产科医生（63%）认为生育意识的方法对大多数妇女来说为低劣的选择。20%的妇产科医生反对流产。那些反对避孕药的妇产科医生往往不反对流产（OR：0.422）。这种态度在塞尔维亚南部和东部更为普遍，相比其他地区，这些区域的妇产科医生更可能反对（OR：4.892）和拒绝（OR：4.161）开具避孕药的处方，但不太可能反对流产（OR：0.278）。 结论：很大比例的塞尔维亚妇产科医生反对某些避孕方法，而更喜欢流产，尤其是在最不发达的地区。