To say I was disappointed by the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC’s) recent social media guidance would be a significant understatement.

Regular readers will know by now that I adore social media. It’s an incredible tool for all sorts of things. Like many, I’m also acutely aware of its downsides. 

One of the major benefits I’ve gained from social media is the ability to hone my skills in debate and argument. These are key skills for a pharmacist, as they’re such a fundamental component of good communication. Arguing, in the philosophical sense of the word, can contribute to avoiding arguing in the EastEnders sense of the word. Debating skills aren’t just useful for scholars; they can also be helpful when explaining to Mrs Jones why no, you can’t sell her some diazepam just because she dropped hers down the toilet. 

My main issue with the GPhC’s guidance centres around the phrase: “Don’t get drawn into negative, unconstructive discussions.” Negativity and constructiveness are not objective. In fact, the phrase is ripe for misuse thanks to its subjectivity. One person’s “negative, unconstructive discussion” is another person’s fertile training ground. 

I, for example, have often found myself in long, cyclical discussions on the internet about topics such as homeopathy. The chances of me getting the other person to change their mind are minimal at best. But does this render those discussions negative or unconstructive? Certainly not. The aim of such discussions isn’t about changing the other party’s mind, but about the process. It’s about exploring the twisting alleyways that the discussion will take you down – learning to appreciate and counter your own frustration along the way.  

Disagreements can often be very valuable, and we need to stop thinking of them as a bad thing. I would argue that encouraging pharmacists to step away from an argument for fear of regulatory action is, ironically, a negative, unconstructive step by the GPhC. 

The other issue I have with the guidance is with the separation of professional and personal life. The guidance warns that using social media can “blur the boundaries between personal and professional use”. Of course, appropriate boundaries should always be maintained – a lot of this comes down to common sense. 

Is this useful for patients? Frankly, tweeting purely about pharmacy is boring and gives little incentive for non-pharmacists to take interest. A more wide-ranging social media presence can attract those from a wider pool, who may then take an interest in pharmacy subjects. 

Luckily, I’m not the only one feeling uneasy – the Pharmacists’ Defence Association has claimed that the GPhC’s guidance has “gone too far”. I, for one, will be watching any further developments on this with interest. 

The Information Sage is a medicines information pharmacist