Determination of Dispensing Practice of Antibiotics in Selected Community Pharmacies in India

Introduction: The qualifying of pharmaceuticals listed accurately on a valid prescription by the pharmacist or healthcare professional doctor is known as dispensing. The over-the-counter sale of antibiotics is a global issue and frequently results in misuse; antibiotics are frequently prescribed and given to patients in pharmacies. The expense of therapy and the emergence of antibiotic resistance may rise as a result of this abuse. As a result, monitoring antibiotic distribution trends is crucial to understanding pharmacy best practises and avoiding unnecessary antimicrobial resistance.
Objectives: To categorize the class of antibiotics used in the various diseases, check for the appropriateness of the antibiotics observed in the prescription, and understand the dispensing pattern of antibiotics.
Methods: A community-based- cross-sectional observational study was carried out for six months in Selected community pharmacies in Kumaraswamy Layout, Kengeri Bengaluru, Gubbi Tumkur District, Bellary Karnataka, Srikalahasti Andhra Pradesh. Document The information collected in the data collection form. PIL has been distributed to the study subjects. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis.
Results: Among 26 pharmacy visits and 538 prescription / cases, 73% were dispensed by D pharm graduates, and 11.7% were by BA graduates. 355(66%) were administered with a prescription, and the rest, 34%, were dispensed without a prescription. The highly distributed brand was Spectratil (cefpodoxime) 46 (8.6%), Macrobid (Nitrofurantoin) 26(4.8%), Mahacef (cefixime) 24(4.4%) and Augmentin (Amoxycilin+Clavalunate) 18(3.4%), and the least dispensed brand was Q max (Ofloxacin) 1(0.2%), OFM (Ofloxacillin+Metrinidazole) 1(0/2%). Most antibiotics were for cough and fever, i.e., 222 (41.3%) and toothache 85 (15.8%). Study subjects who had not heard about antibiotics were 461(85.7%), and 77(14.3) knew about antibiotics. 308(57.2%) said they could stop antibiotics after completing the course, and 193(35.9%) said antibiotics could be stopped when the patient felt better. Among 26 pharmacy visits, 440(81.8%) agreed that pharmacists should not dispense antibiotics without a valid prescription, and 344(64.9%) dispense antibiotics both by self-knowledge and request by the patient. 532(98.9%) know about schedule H1, and 512(95.2%) follow the Schedule H1 act. Among 538 study subjects, 406(75.5%) accepted the Patient information leaflet (PIL), whereas 122(22.7%) denied the PIL, and 10(1.9%) pharmacists did not permit us to distribute PIL.
Conclusion: Cephalosporins are the most commonly prescribed/dispensed antibiotics. Eighty percent of registered pharmacists were involved in community pharmacy distribution. The prescription was legal in 32% of cases. As a result, the community pharmacist's ongoing teaching can encourage antibiotic appropriateness. Furthermore, physicians should charge low consultation costs in order to decrease the number of patients who come to the pharmacy without a prescription. Continuous education for physicians and pharmacists is also necessary to raise knowledge about the growth of antibiotic resistance, which is critical in society for the safe use of antibiotics.