[Dispensation of opioids by pharmacists in Tunisia]

This national survey aims to evaluate opioid availability and prescription by pharmacists in Tunisia and to examine pharmacists' attitude regarding Tunisian law. We surveyed a sample of 300 pharmacists randomly selected from the National Council of Pharmacists list and using the random table. This study started in September 1999 by sending to pharmacists a confidential questionnaire asking about the importance, the rate of sale and the availability of analgesics in their pharmacy. It also tried to determine pharmacists' opinions regarding Tunisian law. A total of 157 pharmacists out of 300 responded to the survey (52 per cent), 95 per cent were working in pharmacies and 15 per cent in hospitals. Analgesics were estimated to be important to very important in their work in 84 per cent and less important in 16 per cent of cases. They were given under advice with great importance in 85 per cent of cases and with less importance in 15 per cent of cases. Analgesic self-medication was frequent in 95 per cent of cases and rare in 4 per cent of cases. Analgesics of levels 1 and 2 were often to always available in 97 per cent of cases and rarely available in 1.5 per cent of cases. Some 84.7 per cent of pharmacists had opioid supplies and 8.9 per cent had no opioids in stock and 6.4 per cent hadn't given a response. 30 per cent of pharmacists think that the 7 days law for opioid prescription should be modified and 66 per cent think it should not, fearing illicit use, fraud and dependance. Pharmacists think that the minimal list of opioids to be stocked in a pharmacy is sufficient because of low demand.