title: Selling antimicrobials without prescription - Far beyond an administrative problem.
abstract: Selling antibiotics without prescription is common in many countries; beyond the administrative restrictions, this practice is a risk for patients and society. The aim of the study was to evaluate the information provided by the staff of the pharmacy to a simulated patient requesting an antibiotic.
  
  
  
  A prospective study was carried out in January 2013 - February 2014 in the Health Region of Tarragona, in which a mystery shopper visited 220 pharmacies requesting an antibiotic to be sold.
  
  
  
  The actress was not asked about allergies in 73.9% of cases and never was asked about possible pregnancy. Recommendation to see a doctor was observed in 36.1% of cases. When antibiotics were not sold, the explanation provided by the staff was reasoned only in 9.9% of the cases.
  
  
  
  It is necessary and urgent to improve the training of pharmacists in dispensing antibiotics but also strengthen basic health knowledge among the population.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Unitat de Farmàcia, Regió Sanitària Camp de Tarragona, CatSalut, Spain. Electronic address: miagm6@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Guinovart
authors.affiliation: Departament de Farmacologia, de Terapèutica i de Toxicologia, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Fundació Institut Català de Farmacologia, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueras
authors.affiliation: University Institute in Primary Care Research Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Atención Primaria Via Roma, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llor
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003132:Commerce; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D006801:Humans; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000941:ethics*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibacterial agents; Antibióticos; Farmacias; Health information; Información sanitaria; Over-the-counter; Pharmacy; Receta oficial; Sale; Venta