THE OPINION OF THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS TO SUPPORT APPROPRIATE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS WITH GOOD PHARMACY PRACTICE GUIDELINE (GPP)

Abstract

This research is a qualitative research. The objective was to explore the understanding about the role of community pharmacists to support appropriate use of antibiotics with the World Health Organization's good pharmacy practice guideline (GPP). The qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews among the key informants, who were 17 community pharmacists and 2 pharmacists from main organizations associated with good pharmacy practice guideline. The results showed that there were many supporting reasons that are beneficial to patients, community pharmacists and drug stores and were different oppose reasons such as business reasons, other main departments responsible for it and the context of drug stores. In practice, there were many factors which must be considered such as community pharmacists, patients and the context of drug stores. In addition, they need support from government agencies or organizations to perform various roles. And in the issue of applying such guidelines to practice in drug stores should be support from organizations with knowledge, expertise and have a network for information, knowledge and practical skills clearly and continuously. So that the community pharmacists who is responsible for the job in the store alone can adapt and manage new roles that are unfamiliar and not skilled enough until they can actually perform these activities in their drug stores context.