RESUMO
In developing countries, antibiotics are the most common sales of drugs and it has been suggested that their irrational use leads to the emergence of resistant bacteria. In order to assess the purchase of antimicrobials in a peri-urban community in Mexico City six local drug stores were randomly selected. A social worker made five visits to each pharmacy and she observed the events during the purchase of the drug and applied a structured questionnaire to the customer immediately after the transaction. Antibiotics were the majority (29%) of the drug sales. Of all purchasers of an antibiotic 43% did it without medical prescription and 72% answered that a physician had influenced on the purchase. Duration of the antibiotic therapy was specified in one out of three prescriptions that were examined and only in 28% of the sales the purchase was enough for a treatment duration of more than four days. More information, from similar surveys in drug stores in other settings, is needed to support the reinforcement of actions to control the sales of antibiotics in the community.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/administração & dosagem , Uso de Medicamentos , Farmácias , Serviço de Farmácia Hospitalar , Humanos , MéxicoRESUMO
Brazil is typical of many developing countries in its struggle to provide basic healthcare for its citizens in face of national economic instability. Since pharmaceuticals represent a major component of modern healthcare, their production, regulation and use become an area of concern. It appears that any change in the current production patterns will require a major commitment from governments, understanding external economic pressures. There are pros and cons in a policy directed towards pharmaceutical self-sufficiency. Aside from production, efforts directed towards extending access to essential drugs and improving the appropriateness of use, would appear to be warranted.