A STUDY ON NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FROM THE VIEW OF THE PHARMACISTS AND THE PATIENTS IN TURKEY

Gülbin ÖZÇELIKAY*°, G.Hale ÖZCÖMERT*, Sevgi SAR*, Eris ASIL*

*Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Departmant of Pharmacy Management, 06100 Tandogan, Ankara, TURKEY.
°Corresponding Author

Summary :
In 1992, the European Union published the 92/26/EEC numbered directive about the classification of drugs in order to remove the differences between the laws of various countries and to ensure rational drug use, According to this directive, drugs are divided into two groups: 1-Prescription drugs 2-Non-prescription drugs Non-prescription drugs have been defined as the drugs used without physicians advice. In Turkey, according to the law (number 1262) “Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Drugs Law”, drugs are divided into two groups as those with pre- scription of a physician and those without prescription of a physician. But there is no non-prescription drug definition. The aim of this study is to discover whether pharmacists advise drugs to patients without a physician’s prescription and also determine the rations of the patients who accept the advice. In this study an inquiry has been carried out to 130 community pharmacists chosen randomly. According to the answers given to the inqury, 81% of the Pharmacists advise patients drugs without prescription; 78% of the patients take this drugs; 12% do not want to take the drugs without prescription.

Key words:
Non-prescription drugs, Laws, Community pharmacists.