On the show – which aired on Friday (January 17) – journalist Sam Delaney claimed that the government and doctors are “encouraging chemists to intervene and say that…‘You’re too fat, you’re overweight’”.

“Pretend doctors”

In a discussion triggered by draft National Institute for health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidance on community pharmacists’ roles, Mr Delaney explained that he is “all for doctors pointing this out…because it’s behind closed doors”, but claimed that “chemists are very public places”.

“You [could] be in Boots,” he gave as an example. “It could be very crowded in there and suddenly you’re being called fat by a chemist who I think society generally, right or wrongly, don’t have much respect for anyway, because we think they’re pretend doctors a lot of the time.”

While host Ruth Langsford defended the concept of visiting a pharmacy if “it’s not [for] something too major” and pointed out that the conversation would take place in a consultation room, guest Vanessa Feltz argued that patients “don’t want to be ambushed by some pharmacist”.

Host Eamonn Holmes also suggested patients may view the service as a cynical way for pharmacists to “shift products from the shelves”.

You can watch the comments on the ITV website (skip to 35 mins). The broadcaster told C+D this morning that it apologises for “any offence caused” (see below).

RPS takes “immediate action”

The programme prompted an outraged response from pharmacists on Twitter, as well as from the RPS, which said it took “immediate action by writing to ITV to address inaccuracies in the programme”.

“We are extremely disappointed by comments made about the role of pharmacists in supporting people's health on ITV's This Morning programme,” the society explained on Twitter.

Broadcasting regulator Ofcom confirmed to C+D it has received 2,313 complaints about the comments so far, but has “yet to decide whether or not to investigate”.

Pharmacist Johnathan Laird also set up a #whatwedoinpharmacy Twitter campaign to counter the broadcast inaccuracies about pharmacists’ roles.

ITV apology “for any offence caused”

ITV told C+D that the segment had focused on “the role of pharmacists in supporting people’s health and the controversial suggestion from the NHS regulator that pharmacists should comment on customers’ weight”.

“During this segment contributors often express their personal or light-hearted views, which do not always reflect the views of This Morning,” it added. “Referring to this specific topic we apologise if there was any offence caused.”

The programme will running a segment this week “on services to expect when visiting a chemist, with a top pharmacist explaining the valuable service they offer”, it added.

Twitter reaction

Huge disappointment to see the role of pharmacists portrayed this way. @thismorning should use knowledgeable people in their features. Pharmacists are registered healthcare professionals and experts in medicines! Thank you @rpharms for writing to ITV on behalf of the profession https://t.co/RRv35ZCTAL — Neha Ramaiya (@NehaRamaiya10) January 19, 2020

Wooooow!!!! Disgusting.

However does show that the majority of the public don’t actually understand our role. How do we get this out there? — Iqbal Mohammed MPharm. AFHEA. PCertIP (@iQFilmmaker) January 18, 2020

@DelaneyMan shows exactly how ignorant he is! I find his comments outdated, rude, and downright offensive. Us “chemists” study for 5, 6, 7+ years to become leaders in healthcare...we are not just “pretend doctors”! @thismorning @DelaneyMan we deserve an apology! — Melanie Wedlock (@MelanieWedlock) January 17, 2020

We are contacted frequently! — Claire Anderson (@Clairewynn) January 17, 2020

Time for more public-facing information about pharmacist training and expertise and the contribution to quality and safety of clinical care? Plenty of data and innovative examples to support @rpharms @RSharmaPharma @Clairewynn — Liz Butterfield (@LizButterfield1) January 20, 2020

As a pharmacist I’m able to give emergency supply medications to travellers who have genuinely forgot to bring their mediation with them which will help save their life and can also enjoy their holidays without feeling anxious.

That what a pharmacist does — Hala Jawad (@jawad_hala) January 19, 2020