QUALITY SELECTION CRITERIA OF ALCOHOL-BASED HAND SANITIZERS AMONG COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN NONTHABURI PROVINCE
Keywords:
alcohol, hand sanitizers, selection, criteria, community pharmacyAbstract
According to the Cosmetics Act B.E. 2558, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are classified as cosmetics. This research studied the quality of alcohol-based hand sanitizers sold in community pharmacies in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand, by checking the labels and the types and amounts of alcohol by using the Q-E-S-T 3-in-1 Alcohol Test Kit. Next, research was conducted on comparing the selection criteria of alcohol-based hand sanitizers among quality pharmacies, which are those that have passed the GPP criteria and those which have met it conditionally. Data was collected between April 2021 and January 2022 for the sample groups which consisted of 417 pharmacies and 275 alcohol-based hand sanitizer products. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and the Fisher exact test. It was found that the products passed the standard of 69.3% (an alcohol content of not less than 70% v/v and a complete absence of methanol). The number one product-selection criteria were alcohol-based hand sanitizers with labels having a notification receipt number (35.5%). The significantly different factor (p = 0.043) between pharmacists and non-pharmacists was the Certificate of Analysis, that is, the availability of product quality analysis reports. There was also a significant difference among phramacies as per the selection of brand name products (p = 0.007), whether the labels had production and expiration dates (p = 0.021), and if the labels had the manufacturer's name and address (p = 0.024). Therefore, the research results can be used as information to monitor production sites for alcohol-based hand sanitizers and to develop criteria-based guidelines for use when selecting alcohol-based hand sanitizers in community pharmacies.
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