Objectives: The patterns of purchasing prescription antimicrobials with or
without a prescription from retail pharmacies in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, were examined in
relation to purchasers’ socioeconomic status and price of the product.Methods: A survey was conducted at 250 randomly selected pharmacies in
Ulaanbaatar. A total of 619 customers were interviewed, and the medicines they bought at
the stores were examined by medical doctors. The use of prescriptions and advice in
purchasing medicines and sociodemographic characteristics of the subjects were
determined.Results: Interviews were conducted with 297 customers who purchased
prescription antimicrobials in front of the store in which they made their purchase. Among
these 297 customers, only 19.5% (n=58) purchased medicine with a formal
prescription, and 37.4% (n=111) purchased medicines on their own
initiative and without the guidance of medical professionals. Purchase without a
prescription was not associated with the subjects’ gender, age, educational status or area
of residence. Lower-priced antimicrobials were purchased without prescriptions more
frequently than those with a higher price (P<0.05).Conclusion: The purchase of antimicrobials without prescriptions is common
across all sociodemographic strata in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Considering the increases in
number of retail pharmacies and in sales of antimicrobials associated with economic
development, measures to enforce regulations and to promote education among the general
public and pharmacy professionals are required.
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