Evaluation of availability, accessibility and prescribing pattern of medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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.
Cheraghali
A M
AM
Department of Pharmacology, Baqyyatallah Medical Science University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Nikfar
S
S
Behmanesh
Y
Y
Rahimi
V
V
Habibipour
F
F
Tirdad
R
R
Asadi
A
A
Bahrami
A
A
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
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018954:Drugs, Essential