PPIs: community pharmacists' perceptions

In order to measure pharmacists' perceptions about the PPis for estrogen and oral contraceptives, questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 105 community pharmacists in a large midwestern city. Seventy completed questionnaires were returned, producing a response rate of 67 percent. A slight majority of the responding pharmacists indicated that pharmacists should be responsible for distribution of these PPIs but that physicians should be responsible for determining whether a patient should receive a PPI. The pharmacists indicated that patient information should be verbally communicated and accompanied by a written summary sheet and that patients neither read nor understand these PPIs. Although limited in size and geographic area, this study suggests that retail pharmacists have doubts about the current PPI program mandated by the Food and Drug administration.