Purchase of antibiotics without prescription in Manila, the Philippines. Inappropriate choices and doses.
The purchase of antimicrobial agents in drugstores in a district in Manila. The Philippines was examined in order to determine how these agents might be used. Most antimicrobial agents are imported as bulk products and repackaged by a large number of small firms into 1491 different preparations including 206 marketed as combinations with other drugs. Antimicrobial agents accounted for 20.1% of all drug purchases. Purchases were made without prescription in 66.3% of 1608 transactions. Most of these were aminopenicillins or penicillins G or V (40.0%). The most common perceived indications were respiratory tract infections (20.2%), tuberculosis (8.8%), "prophylaxis" (8.6%) and gastrointestinal infection (8.3%). Almost 90% of purchases were for 10 or less capsules or tablets. The median number of units purchased was 3. Customers with written prescriptions purchased a mean of 8 while those who self-prescribed purchased a mean of 4 units (p = less than 0.05). We believe that these practices can provide only limited clinical efficacy and should favor emergence of resistant bacteria.
Lansang
M A
MA
Department of Medicine, University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, Manila.
Lucas-Aquino
R
R
Tupasi
T E
TE
Mina
V S
VS
Salazar
L S
LS
Juban
N
N
Limjoco
T T
TT
Nisperos
L E
LE
Kunin
C M
CM
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010679:Philippines; D012651:Self Medication
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs