Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led anticoagulation service on international normalised ratio (INR) control and other outcomes among patients receiving warfarin therapy at a tertiary hospital in Zhuhai, China. Methods In this randomised controlled trial, adult patients who were newly initiated on warfarin with intended treatment duration of at least 3 months were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated to receive the pharmacistled education and follow-up service (PEFS) or usual care (UC). Anticoagulation control was calculated as the proportions of time within the target INR range (TTR) and time within the expanded target range (TER). Key findings A total of 152 participants (77 in the PEFS group and 75 in the UC group) were included. Within 180 days after hospital discharge, the PEFS group spent more TER than the UC group (54.4% versus 42.0%; P = 0.024), whereas the difference in TTR did not reach statistical significance (35.9% versus 29.5%; P = 0.203). No major bleeding events were observed, and the cumulative incidences of major thromboembolic events (6.5% versus 9.3%) and mortality (1.3% versus 1.3%) were similar between the two groups (P> 0.05). At 30 days postdischarge, the PEFS group had better warfarin knowledge by answering 57.5% of questions correctly, compared with the UC group (43.0%) (P = 0.003). Conclusions The PEFS markedly enhanced anticoagulation control and warfarin knowledge but there was room for improvement. The expansion of pharmacists' clinical role and the development of more effective education and follow-up strategies are warranted to optimise anticoagulation management services in China.

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Both PIM use and DDIs are common among elderly nursing home residents in Macao. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the clinical outcomes of pharmacist-led interventions for elderly residents in the local nursing home setting.

Recommendations for breast cancer screening are poorly followed by the residents in Macao, and a culturally tailored educational program is urgently needed to raise the public's awareness of the disease and the screening practices.

Underdiagnosis of depression was prevalent in this low-income population. There is a need to raise their awareness of mental disorders and improve their access to mental health services.