As the founder of the first national network of pharmacies whose staff are trained in endometriosis and the recipient of the 2025 Order Award, Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou is committed to reducing the ten-year diagnostic odyssey that more than 500,000 women in France still face. In this interview, she explains how pharmacies can become frontline players in identifying symptoms, providing guidance, and transforming the pharmacy counter into a true space for women’s healthcare.

 

 

PharmagoraPlus: You founded the first national network of pharmacies whose staff are trained in endometriosis. What unmet needs initially prompted you to create this network, and how can community pharmacies better position themselves as frontline providers for women living with endometriosis?

Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou: It all started with the realization that today, more than 500,000 women of childbearing age are facing a diagnostic odyssey in France. Despite the implementation of the national strategy to combat endometriosis, there is an average diagnostic delay of 10 years between the onset of the first symptoms and the diagnosis of endometriosis (figure published in a research thesis conducted by Zélia Breton, a researcher at INSERM, in 2025). This delay stems, among other things, from a lack of awareness about the disease and its symptoms. It is a symptomatic disease in 90% of cases, so pharmacy teams can position themselves as frontline actors to help identify signs suggestive of the disease—provided, of course, that they are properly trained.

 

PharmagoraPlus: Winning the 2025 Order Award is a major honor within the profession. What does this distinction mean to you personally, and what message do you think it sends about the evolving role of pharmacists in women’s health?

Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou: I was deeply touched that this work in identifying and guiding others was recognized with the Order’s award. Like any entrepreneurial endeavor, there are times when your project is moving along more or less smoothly, and receiving this award is, for me, an extra source of motivation to keep going even when things aren’t going so well. It reinforced my belief that the pharmacy has a real role to play in helping to improve the care journey for these women.

And yes, for me, this award also helps demonstrate that our profession is undergoing a major transformation. It shows that we now recognize the reception desk as a potential setting for patient care, whereas before the only option was the private consultation room. It also helps raise awareness of severe dysmenorrhea, often associated with other

symptoms as potentially pathological rather than as "normal" pain or pain that is all in the head.

 

PharmagoraPlus: The title of your presentation at PharmagoraPlus is “Endometriosis in the Pharmacy: 3 Practical Steps to Take Starting Tomorrow.” For pharmacy teams looking to develop expertise in endometriosis, what would be the first concrete steps to take in terms of training, coordinating the care pathway, and team organization?

Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou: Yes, the first step is definitely training. It’s important to gain at least a basic understanding of the disease and its conventional treatment, but also to fully grasp how the care pathway for women with endometriosis works. Which healthcare professionals are involved? When do they get involved? And what do they do? I believe this is essential for finding one’s role within this care pathway. With EndoAct, the pharmacy team can act on three levels: identifying, referring, and supporting patients—and that’s what I offer them through a 12-hour training program divided into three four-hour modules, available on the Pharmaconsulting website. The first module is essential; it also allows the pharmacy to become a partner in the EndoAct France network. Module 2, focused on supporting patients who have been diagnosed, and Module 3, covering treatment—including micronutrition as well as the use of tools available at the pharmacy such as herbal medicine and aromatherapy—are standalone modules.

 

PharmagoraPlus: Finally, in your opinion, why should pharmacists and pharmacy teams attend PharmagoraPlus 2026?

Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou: This will be my third year attending Pharmagora; it’s a chance to explore areas you don’t have time to delve into in your day-to-day work. To think differently, hear about everyone’s experiences, or discover new tools to use. It’s a very enriching conference. And it’s always a chance to catch up with other pharmacists you haven’t seen in a long time!

 

 

Lore-Anne Viénot-Trillou will speak on March 14, from 1:35 to 2:15 p.m., in the Therapeutic Spaces Theater.