Driving the Policy for Improving the Standard of Drugstores in Udon Thani Province

Abstract

Objective: To study the policy driving for improving the standard of drugstores and to study the approach for improving the standard of drugstores in Udon Thani province. Method: This descriptive study was divided into two phases: the first was the collection and review of relevant laws, annual report and the project on pharmacy accreditation, in order to summarize the situation on driving policy on improving drugstores. Second phase of study collected the data by interviewing 30 pharmacy owners in Udon Thani, purposively selected by the researchers. They were selected from 3 groups: standard passing group, group with pharmacists on duty on all opening hours, and group with pharmacists on duty in some of opening hours. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by having the subjects assess oneself on the knowledge on the Ministerial Regulations regarding the application and licensing of modern drug selling B.E.2556, and  their readiness to follow the Good Pharmacy Practices Practice: GPP). Results: Policies and legal measures required the adherence to standards, leading to changes obviously driven by policy. In Udon Thani, there were 215 drug stores, 55 of which (25.5%) were accredited pharmacies or GPP passing drugstores. All interviewees were knowledgeable on the Ministerial Regulations. Drugstores with pharmacists on duty on all  opening hours were more likely to follow all domains in GPP guidelines, while those with pharmacists on duty in some opening hours were not ready in the domains of drug quality control, followed by the personnel category and good community pharmacy practice. Conclusion: To achieve the goals of improving drugstores’ standard, government agencies should provide guidance on implementing the GPP criteria to pharmacies and create understanding with emphasis on warning and follow-up the adherence to the standards to ensure that pharmacies improve their standards before stringently enforcing the law.