Dispensing Practice of Non-Prescribed Medications in Community Pharmacies in Jordan: A Simulated Patient Study
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Keywords
Antibiotics , oral contraceptive, Community pharmacy, stimulated patient
Abstract
Objectives: In Jordan, community pharmacies play a critical role in the healthcare system, often serving as the first point of contact for patients seeking medical advice and medication. As most antibiotics and oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are available over the counter, it is the pharmacist’s professional duty to verify and advise patients about all aspects of using these medications. However, the lack of stringent regulatory oversight and adherence to dispensing guidelines has led to concerns about the inappropriate dispensing of medications, posing significant risks to patient safety and contributing employed simulated patient (SP) methodology to evaluate medication dispensing practices in community pharmacies across four Jordanian governorates. Eight study members were trained for three common scenarios: common cold, urinary tract infection (UTI), and oral contraceptives. Data were collected anonymously using Google Forms. Results: The study assessed medication dispensing practices across 103 pharmacies in Jordan using simulated patients. Dispensing without a prescription occurred in 90.3% of visits, with the highest rates observed for common colds (100%), followed by UTIs (97.1%) and contraceptive pills (73.5%). The most common inquiry was ‘Who is the medicine for?’ (85.3%), with variations across scenarios. Notably, antibiotics were prescribed in 51.4% (n = 18) of common cold cases and 73.5% (n = 25) of UTI cases. While guidance on dosage was provided in 82.3% of interactions, side effects were mentioned in only 17.7%. Communication skills among pharmacists were limited, with only 15.9% (n = 14) checking patient understanding. Conclusion: Strict regulatory measures and guidelines are needed to improve the quality of pharmacist consultations on OCPs and over-the-counter pharmaceutical usage in order to ensure patient safety.
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