[Community pharmacy; towards a new model.]

In recent years, even in Italy, a new model of "Community pharmacy" is being developed, which identifies the pharmacist as the most accessible health care professional for citizens, and recognizes his role in preventing chronic diseases. A project started in Piedmont (Italy) in 2012 has aimed at applying and evaluating this model of pharmacy in the prevention of diabetes, through the early detection of individuals with undiagnosed diabetes or at high risk of developing the disease, or with counselling to diabetic patients not adhering to the optimal therapeutic pathway. The results suggest that the pharmacy might be able to implement an effective preventive action, particularly among socio-economically disadvantaged people, thereby helping to reduce inequalities in care. The cost/effectiveness evaluation of long-term outcomes, based on the use of existing health information systems, will provide more accurate information on the value of the model.