title: Pharmacy network and access to medicines in selected eastern European countries: comparative analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the pharmacy network (structure and resources) in Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia and its relation to public expenditures for medicines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study using the officially published data for the period 2003-2008 in four selected countries. Data sources were relevant national institutions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2008, Serbia had 27.5, Bulgaria 66.8, Croatia 59.5, and Slovenia 71.2 pharmacists per 100000 inhabitants. There was a significant difference in the number of pharmacists per 100000 inhabitants between all countries except between Bulgaria and Slovenia. The number of inhabitants per one pharmacy was significantly different between all observed countries. The expenditures for medicines per capita in 2008 were between €30.34 in Bulgaria to €137.03 in Slovenia, with a significant difference between all countries except between Bulgaria and Serbia. The number of pharmacists per 100000 inhabitants and expenditures for medicines per capita were positively correlated in all observed countries, except in Bulgaria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were significant difference in the structure and availability of the pharmacy service in all selected countries. Expenditures for medicines were positively correlated with the number of pharmacists in all countries, except in Bulgaria. Our findings could be valuable to national regulatory bodies for the creation of national drug policies.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmacy Legislation, Vojvode Stepe 450, Belgrade, Serbia. dlakic@pharmacy.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lakić
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tasić
authors.forename: Mitja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: Guenka
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrova
authors.forename: Assena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoimenova
authors.forename: Dusanka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krajnović
mesh_terms: D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*