SAFETY and efficacy of non-prescription medicines (NPMs) are key considerations for patients, with pharmacies seen as a source of medicines advice, an Australian survey reveals.
However, patients were less likely to agree that pharmacies were associated with safe and effective treatments.
The research, published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, found close to half of all respondents believed it was "wrong to sell treatments lacking in scientific evidence".
However, the researchers found that when it came to identifying a NPM's efficacy, "personal experience was the most common method of determining effectiveness", with individuals who had experienced using an ineffective medicine less likely to trust scientific evidence of efficacy as the sole source of effectiveness information.
The authors said these conflicting views posed a challenge for pharmacists.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 12 Jun 19
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 12 Jun 19
