Abstract: In Malaysia, physicians both prescribe and dispense drugs. However, this practice is not applicable in retail pharmacies as medication is only dispensed when there is a valid paper prescription from physicians. Due to the escalating pricing of medication in the private sector, medication adherence has been greatly affected.
Methods and Findings: Systemic sampling method was used to collect data. The top twenty-five long-term medication pricing were collected from private clinics and retail pharmacies in four major geographical regions in West Malaysia. The mean prices per tablet were tabulated, and average savings comparing both settings were analyzed and discussed. Mean prices per tablet of the medication selected were also compared with the Consumer Price Guide (CPG) by the Pharmaceutical Service Division (PSD).
Conclusion: Medication supply in retail pharmacies has an average savings of 65% as compared to private clinics. Further measures including implementing dispensing separation, and enforcing a stringent price policy, will lead to a cost-effective drug expenditure.
Keywords: private clinics, retail pharmacies, drug expenditure, cost-saving.
Title: Evaluating Differences between Drug Prices in Private Clinics and Retail Pharmacies in Malaysia
Author: HIEW FEI TSONG, LEE YIN CHEN, THEN RU LUEN, ONG CHOONG KOON, NG JIN YONG
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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