title: Evaluation of availability, accessibility and prescribing pattern of medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: Prescribing, dispensing, availability and affordability of drugs were evaluated in 100 primary health care centres in 5 provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran using WHO indicators. On average, 92% of the 12 essential drugs monitored were available in the health centre pharmacies and 95% of the drugs prescribed by the physician were dispensed by the health centre pharmacy. The stock-out duration was less than 1 month on average. A complete treatment for pneumonia cost only 2% of the lowest weekly government salary. The national average number of drugs per prescription was 3.4. Prescription of antibiotics and injectable drugs was very high (58% and 41% respectively). Although availability and affordability of essential drugs is good in this country, rational use of drugs needs to be emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Baqyyatallah Medical Science University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cheraghali
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikfar
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Behmanesh
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Habibipour
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tirdad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asadi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahrami
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics; D018954:Drugs, Essential / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000458:organization & administration; D010602:Pharmacopoeias as Topic; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018954:Drugs, Essential