title: Do no harm: the role of community pharmacists in regulating public access to prescription drugs in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pharmacists have a crucial role to ensure regulated public access to prescription drugs. The study aimed to investigate the views of community pharmacists practising in Saudi Arabia on their role in the unauthorised supply of prescription drugs, consider the possible contributory factors and report pharmacists' suggested strategies to regulate supply.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred community pharmacists were invited to participate in an interview-based survey, including questions on demographic characteristics, and the unauthorised supply of prescription drugs. Descriptive statistics were conducted, and associations between categorical responses tested; a P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant. Responses to open questions were analysed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Saudi Arabia, there is widespread unregulated supply of prescription drugs; pharmacists are under pressure from patients to provide prescription drugs for a wide range of clinical conditions. There are safety and appropriateness concerns when drugs are provided based on patient demand rather than clinical need. Pharmacists do not maintain patient records with information on drugs supplied and associated actions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While most pharmacists supply prescription drugs without the necessary prescriber authorisation, they also this may jeopardise patients safety. While we have many concerns about this practice its present form, we believe pharmacists should have certain prescribing privileges within their areas of competence. A legal framework is needed to guarantee proper pharmacists' training, support, mentorship and access to the tools required to provide safe pharmacy practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Anas
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2371-3663
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahnassi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: community pharmacy; drug misuse; patient safety; professional ethics; professional practice