Abstract

PERCEPTION OF PHARMACY PERSONNEL IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY ABOUT SELLING ANTIBIOTICS WITH OR WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION IN KATHMANDU VALLEY, NEPAL

Rajan Manandhar* and Dr. Sabyata Gautam

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Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the perception of pharmacy personnel in community pharmacy about sales of antibiotics with or without prescriptions. It focuses to explore on the pharmacy personnel perception of guiding principles for sale of antibiotics, what influences them to follow or not to follow guiding principles, pharmacy personnel’s perception on patient expectation and behavior affecting dispensing of antibiotics and pharmacy personnel’s perception of antibiotics resistance in Kathmandu valley. Data was collected through 25 in-depth interviews with 5 different groups of pharmacy personnel and 31 observations along with informal conversions in pharmacies in different areas of the Kathmandu Valley. Participants of the study perceived dispensing of drugs on request and need of patient, diagnosing, prescribing and counseling as their role. Most of the participants in the study were aware of the rule of selling antibiotics in presence of prescription but were not found to follow the rule consistently. Almost all the participants in the study were found to sell antibiotics without prescription. Dispensing of antibiotics was found to be influenced by participant’s perceived role, previous medication of patient, participant’s assessment of patient’s health, participant’s knowledge and experiences of dispensing antibiotics to similar symptoms, relationship with customers, seeing pharmacy as a business and patient’s expectations and behavior. Participants suggested counseling, providing education and creating awareness in people, continuing education and providing trainings to pharmacy personnel, monitoring pharmacies, enforcing of rules as a solution for controlling antibiotic resistance. Drug dispensing is a complex process influenced by interrelated factors. Exploration of patient perspectives would add a new dynamic to the outcomes.

Keywords: Pharmacy personnel, Community Pharmacy, Perception, Antibiotics, Dispensing.