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Should community-managed drug stores be phased out?
F P Flores1, T Umenai, S Wakai
1Department of International Community Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
|July 12, 2002
Summary
Community-managed drug stores (CDS) in the Philippines improve medicine affordability and availability of unbranded medicines. However, their impact on herbal plant use and correct medicine usage requires further consideration.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Pharmaceutical Policy
- Community Health
Background:
- Community-managed drug stores (CDS) in the Philippines, including Botika Binhi (BB), Family Health Management By and For Urban Poor Settlers Pharmacy (FAMUSCY), and Botika ng Barangay (BnB), are crucial for medicine access but face operational challenges.
- Understanding the association between household access to medicines and different types of CDS is vital for policy decisions regarding their future.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between household access to medicines and the presence of three types of community-managed drug stores (BB, FAMUSCY, BnB) in selected Philippine communities.
- To evaluate the impact of CDS on the five dimensions of access: affordability, availability, quality, acceptability, and appropriateness.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed, involving structured interviews with 1,710 households and inspection of medicines at home.
- Villages with the longest-running CDS of each type were selected in urban and rural areas.
- Data collection focused on household medicine access, perceptions of drug outlets, and drug use practices.
Main Results:
- The presence of any CDS was associated with improved perceived medicine affordability.
- FAMUSCY and BnB were linked to increased availability of unbranded medicines and positive perceptions of prescriber/dispenser counseling.
- Inverse associations were observed between FAMUSCY/BnB and herbal plant availability, correct medicine use, and perceptions of medicine availability/service quality at drug outlets.
Conclusions:
- Phasing out CDS should be carefully considered against their benefits in enhancing medicine affordability and promoting unbranded and herbal medicine use.
- Effective drug counseling by prescribers and dispensers, facilitated by CDS, is a key benefit that should be preserved.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuanced impacts of different CDS models on medicine access and utilization patterns.