Medical pluralism in action? A case study of community pharmacies in Johannesburg, South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
The main aim of this study was to examine whether, and to what extent, community pharmacies have become sites for the practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as an example of "medical pluralism."


METHODS
Qualitative as well as quantitative methods such as a telephone survey of all pharmacies in Johannesburg, observations, and in-depth interviews with pharmacists and CAM healers were used.


RESULTS
The evidence presented in this paper, although based on a study of community pharmacies in Johannesburg only, can be interpreted as an indication of a general trend in urban areas in South Africa, that of involvement with CAM in the form of dispensing and sales of CAM products, provision of advice, and, in a few cases, employment of CAM practitioners to consult on their premises. Thus the two systems of CAM and allopathic medicine are being practiced within the same premises. However, the manner in which they operate, as portrayed in this study, is that of two separate systems existing in relative harmony side-by-side.


CONCLUSIONS
Because of the constraints of the study, it is difficult to ascertain to what extent this is a first step toward the development of a more meaningful integration between the systems. It is much easier to demonstrate that this growth is driven by the pharmacists' response to the growing demand from the public and their readiness to seize the opportunity to expand their responsibilities and increase their profits. This is supported by the willingness of CAM healers to participate in the endeavor.
Gilbert
Leah
L
Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. gilbertl@social.wits.ac.za
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D004994:Ethics, Pharmacy; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000639:trends