Sofia Oliveira-Martins

@ul.pt

Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa
Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa

Sofia Oliveira-Martins


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EDUCATION

Pharmacy degrre (PhD)
Master in Public Health (MSc)
PhD in Pharmacoepidemiology

RESEARCH INTERESTS

public health, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmaceutical legislation, medicaiton use,
23

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Regulatory innovation for drug repurposing: Ten proposals to accelerate access and safety
    Sara Pintado, Adelaide Fernandes, Esther A.M. Bührman, Joanna IntHout, Sofia Oliveira-Martins
    Drug Discovery Today, 2026
    • Drug repurposing can accelerate access to medicines for unmet medical needs. • Despite efforts, regulatory barriers still hinder Marketing Authorisation for repurposed drugs. • Without approved therapies, off-label use enables access but carries major risks. • Ten proposals to promote and discuss regulatory innovation in drug repurposing. Despite increasing efforts and incentives to address the critical lack of treatments for rare diseases, a substantial gap persists between patient needs and available therapies. Drug repurposing is a promising strategy in this field; nevertheless, it has not yet translated into a substantial increase in approved medicines. Although several EU regulatory pathways exist, none are tailored to drug repurposing, resulting in a complex landscape, particularly for nonprofit organisations. While there is no silver bullet, this article presents ten regulatory proposals to foster dialogue with decision-makers to tackle bottlenecks in areas of unmet medical need through a collaborative model with aligned incentives for all stakeholders. These proposals are based on published literature and the authors’ experience in the SIMPATHIC project.
  • SIMPATHIC: Accelerating drug repurposing for rare diseases by exploiting SIMilarities in clinical and molecular PATHology
    Clara D.M. van Karnebeek, Annelieke R. Müller, Laura Benkemoun, Ibrahim Boussaad, Martina C. Cornel, Joanna IntHout, Martin de Kort, Sofia de Oliveira Martins, Alessandro Prigione, Tessel Rigter, Kit C.B. Roes, Anna Sanchez, Raymond Schipper, Mark D. Wilkinson, Peter A.C. ’t Hoen
    Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2025
  • Pharmaceutical consultation on patients receiving oral antineoplastic agents: a systematic review
    João Pedro Fernandes, Ana Margarida Advinha, Sofia Oliveira-Martins
    European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 2025
    The management of oncological treatment has evolved substantially with the increasing use of oral antineoplastic agents, which are self-administered by patients or caregivers at home, and require careful monitoring and support. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical consultations on oncology patients undergoing therapy with oral antineoplastic agents. A systematic literature review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases with the last search on 5 June 2025. Primary observational or experimental studies were sought for inclusion. Eligible studies assessed the outcomes of pharmaceutical consultations for oncology patients receiving oral antineoplastic therapy in a hospital setting, compared with a conventional medication dispensing model. The risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools, RoB-2 and ROBINS-I. The review was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Statement, and the protocol for the systematic literature review was registered with PROSPERO under the reference CRD42024533367. From the 881 records initially identified, 16 studies were included. A backward reference search led to the inclusion of two additional publications, bringing the total to 18 studies in this systematic review. The main interventions performed by pharmacists during pharmaceutical consultations included patient education on their treatment, management of adverse reactions and drug interactions, and monitoring of adherence to therapy. The studies evaluated a total of 10 variables, demonstrating the benefits of pharmaceutical consultation in all of them. Significant benefits were observed in terms of progression-free survival and quality of life, both of which are crucial in cancer treatment. However, further research is required, particularly involving larger patient samples and studies spanning multiple institutions and countries. To facilitate a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of different pharmaceutical consultation models in oncology, it would be advantageous to standardise methods for assessing their impact.
  • Pharmacovigilance teaching and learning: a mixed cross-sectional analysis of the Portuguese public higher education system
    Margarida Perdigão, Anabela Afonso, Sofia de Oliveira-Martins, Manuel José Lopes, Ana Margarida Advinha
    BMC Medical Education, 2024
    Pharmacovigilance stands out for its importance in obtaining existing knowledge about medicine and patient safety and should be recognized as a continuous line of study. It constitutes a highly relevant component in the activities of health professionals, with spontaneous notification of suspected adverse drug reactions being its main emphasis. The underreporting that persists can be overcome through continuous professional development programs, reinforcing theoretical and practical knowledge in the curricular plans of health courses. As a result, more educated professionals will also allow citizens to recognize the importance of pharmacovigilance. The main objective of this study was to describe and characterize the teaching-learning process of pharmacovigilance in Portugal, analyzing the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of students and health professionals. In total, ninety-three curricular unit forms of the seventeen healthcare courses included were analyzed, among which only three referred to pharmacovigilance as mandatory and thirty-nine did not address any keywords. The questionnaire applied was answered by 650 participants, both students (62%) and professionals (38%). Approximately 84.4% of the students and 54.7% of the professionals affirmed that they had never spontaneously reported an adverse drug reaction. Only 24.6% of the students and 17.8% of professionals referred to the existence of specific course content dedicated to pharmacovigilance in their coursework. In view of these results, it is evident that there is a need for a wider reflection regarding the further training and constant update of practicing professionals as well as in diverse health institutions, investing in the creation of an academic curriculum that integrates pharmacovigilance in healthcare courses.
  • Pharmacist's role in influenza immunisation: a scoping review
    Edna Ribeiro Parracha, António Teixeira Rodrigues, Sofia Oliveira‐Martins, Sónia Romano, Diogo Almeida, Bruno Sepodes, Carla Torre
    Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 2024
    BackgroundCommunity pharmacists have become flu vaccine immunisers in several countries to increase vaccine uptake.AimThis study aimed to perform a scoping review to evaluate the pharmacist's role and contribution to flu immunisation coverage, satisfaction and promotion as vaccine providers.DesignThe framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley and the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) were considered for this analysis. Two electronic databases (PubMed and Cochrane Library) were used to search for relevant peer‐reviewed quantitative, qualitative and mixed‐method studies published between 1990 and 2022.ResultsA total of 37 studies were included. These studies suggested that, over time, there was an increase in the rate of vaccine administration within community pharmacies across the various countries examined. Moreover, patients have consistently expressed their satisfaction with the convenience and accessibility of pharmacy‐based vaccine services, with some expressing a preference for pharmacies over traditional visits to their general practitioner′s office.ConclusionSeveral initiatives aimed at promoting flu vaccination have been rolled out in pharmacy settings, and a number of these initiatives have demonstrated positive outcomes. The flu vaccination service provided by pharmacists has proven to be an asset in public health by improving accessibility to immunisation services. Pharmacists should continue to take part in yearly flu vaccination programs as flu vaccine providers as they contribute to an increased uptake of immunisations by the population. Extending these services to other vaccines should be further considered.
  • Portuguese Global Medicines Access Index 2021—An Indicator to Measure Access to Hospital Medicines
    Sofia Oliveira-Martins, Miguel Costa Lopes, Alexandra Cardoso dos Santos, Ana Margarida Advinha
    Value in Health Regional Issues, 2024
  • Artificial intelligence integration in the drug lifecycle and in regulatory science: policy implications, challenges and opportunities
    Wahiba Oualikene-Gonin, Marie-Christine Jaulent, Jean-Pierre Thierry, Sofia Oliveira-Martins, Laetitia Belgodère, Patrick Maison, Joël Ankri, and
    Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
    Artificial intelligence tools promise transformative impacts in drug development. Regulatory agencies face challenges in integrating AI while ensuring reliability and safety in clinical trial approvals, drug marketing authorizations, and post-market surveillance. Incorporating these technologies into the existing regulatory framework and agency practices poses notable challenges, particularly in evaluating the data and models employed for these purposes. Rapid adaptation of regulations and internal processes is essential for agencies to keep pace with innovation, though achieving this requires collective stakeholder collaboration. This article thus delves into the need for adaptations of regulations throughout the drug development lifecycle, as well as the utilization of AI within internal processes of medicine agencies.
  • Experience and Learning from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal: Perceptions of Community Pharmacy Professionals
    Ana Margarida Advinha, Margarida C Santos, Filipa Duarte-Ramos, Margarida Perdigão, Patricia Santos, Sofia Oliveira-Martins
    Portuguese Journal of Public Health, 2023
    Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacy (CP) professionals were among those who experienced the greatest risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which forced major adaptations. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to describe the changes implemented in CP professionals during the pandemic, understand the perception of professionals about their experience, and explore changes to remain. Methods: An observational and cross-sectional study was conducted via an online questionnaire (June–September 2020). The target population was CP professionals working in Portugal for >2 years and serving the public during the pandemic. Results: Of a total of 353 participants, 84% were female (mean age of 37.6 years), and 81% were pharmacists (mean professional experience of 12.9 years). In the management and organizational dimensions, the most mentioned changes were adaptation to legislative changes (90%), fluctuations in the treasury (82%), and reduction of working hours (46%). Only 2% resorted to simplified layoff. In the back office, there was a need to adapt stock management (93%) and purchase personal protective equipment (99%). In the front office, there was a change in service policies – wicket or conditional opening (92%), routes of the arrival of user requests (91%), and home delivery (82%). Physical changes occurred in 100% of pharmacies. The most frequently implemented procedures were the use of protection systems and PPE, articulation with hospital pharmacies for dispensing in proximity (75%), and training in this area (55%). Regarding interpersonal climate, improvements in the connection between team members are evident: increase in mutual help (57%), solidarity (54%), and group cohesion (50%); in the relationship with clients, the majority indicated the replacement of the usual user by third parties (71%), and changes in communication channels (increase in use of technological means 68%). Conclusions: Results illustrate the profound impact of the pandemic on CP professionals, both professionally and personally. It also highlights the importance of their roles in proximity and community support.
  • Mobile apps for quick adverse drug reaction report: A scoping review
    Edna Ribeiro Parracha, Ana Margarida Advinha, Manuel José Lopes, Sofia Oliveira‐Martins
    Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2023
    Spontaneous notification systems are essential in a post‐marketing safety context. However, using this method, only about 6% of all adverse drug reactions are notified. To overcome this sub‐notification problem, new methods need to be developed to improve and facilitate reporting. In this sense, the use of digital media, mainly medical mobile apps, has been presented as a powerful tool, including in pharmacovigilance. We performed a scope review to identify the available apps used to report adverse drug reactions around the world to eventually identify which of them best fits the Portuguese pharmacovigilance system.
  • Validation of the Medication Management Ability Assessment Tool (MMAA) for the Portuguese Older Adults
    Ana Margarida Advinha, Rita de Oliveira Cachão, Ana Catarina Raposo, Miguel Domingos, Anabela Afonso, Ana Serralheiro, Manuel José Lopes, Sofia de Oliveira-Martins
    Lecture Notes in Bioengineering, 2023
  • Consumption of antidiabetic medicines in Portugal: results of a temporal data analysis of a thirteen‐year study (2005–2017)
    Artur Mendes Moura, Sofia Oliveira Martins, João Filipe Raposo
    BMC Endocrine Disorders, 2021
  • Key factors of the functional ability of older people to self-manage medications
    Ana Margarida Advinha, Carla Nunes, Carla Teixeira de Barros, Manuel José Lopes, Sofia de Oliveira-Martins
    Scientific Reports, 2021
  • The role of nutritional status on polypharmacy, cognition, and functional capacity of institutionalized elderly: A systematic review
    Catarina Caçador, Edite Teixeira-Lemos, Sofia Oliveira Martins, Fernando Ramos
    Nutrients, 2021
  • Pictograms - A Useful (Digital and/or Physical) Tool to Assist Elderly Patients in Understanding Medication Instructions? – A Systematic Review
    Sara Faustino, Sofia Oliveira-Martins, Ana Margarida Advinha
    Lecture Notes in Bioengineering, 2021
  • A statistical model to identify determinants of glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes with different pharmacotherapeutic profiles
    Artur Mendes Moura, Marília Antunes, Sofia Oliveira Martins, João Filipe Raposo
    Plos One, 2020
  • A national e-Delphi towards the measurement of safe medication practices in Portuguese hospitals
    Mara Pereira Guerreiro, Madalena Plácido, Carla Teixeira Barros, Anabela Coelho, Anabela Graça, Maria João Gaspar, Sofia de Oliveira Martins
    European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 2018
  • Assessment of the elderly’s functional ability to manage their medication: a systematic literature review
    Ana Margarida Advinha, Manuel José Lopes, Sofia de Oliveira-Martins
    International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 2017
  • Cross-cultural validation of the Drug Regimen Unassisted Grading Scale (DRUGS) to assess community-dwelling elderly's ability to manage medication
    A.M. Advinha, A. Henriques, M.P. Guerreiro, C. Nunes, M.J. Lopes, S. de Oliveira-Martins
    European Geriatric Medicine, 2016
  • Patterns of glucose lowering drugs utilization in Portugal and in the Netherlands. Trends over time
    Carla Torre, José Guerreiro, Sofia de Oliveira Martins, João Filipe Raposo, Ana Paula Martins, Hubert Leufkens
    Primary Care Diabetes, 2015
  • Medication regimen complexity in institutionalized elderly people in an aging society
    Ana Margarida Advinha, Sofia de Oliveira-Martins, Vanessa Mateus, Sara Grou Pajote, Manuel José Lopes
    International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 2014
  • Factors associated with arterial hypertension in pharmacy users in Portugal
    Paula Araujo Opromolla, Ruy Laurenti
    Revista De Saude Publica, 2011
  • Assessment of global cardiovascular risk and risk factors in Portugal according to the SCORE® model
    Sofia de Oliveira Martins, Polybio Serra e Silva, Ana Luisa Papoila, Margarida Caramona, Jan W. Foppe van Mil, José Cabrita
    Journal of Public Health, 2008
  • Inappropriate drug use by Portuguese elderly outpatients - Effect of the Beers criteria update
    Sofia Oliveira Martins, Maria Augusta Soares, J. W. Foppe van Mil, José Cabrita
    Pharmacy World and Science, 2006