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Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community MedicineNOW IN
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Dispensing Practices in India and United States

Avinash Darekar1, Isha Patel2★, Marilee Clemons3, Xi Tan4, Rajat Rana5, Deepak Bhatia6, Jongwha Chang7★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Pharmaceutics, KCT’s R.G.Sapkal college of Pharmacy, Nashik-422212, INDIA.
  2. 2Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601, US.
  3. 3Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601, US.
  4. 4Department of Social and Administrative Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, US.
  5. 5Department of Pharmacy Practice, Acharya B M Reddy College Of Pharmacy, Bengaluru-560090, INDIA.
  6. 6Department of Pharmacogenomics, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, VA 20147, US.
  7. 7Research Scientist, Humana-Comprehensive Health Insights, Louisville, KY 40202, US.

CORRESPONDENCE

Isha Patel

Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601, US.

ipatel@su.edu

Received: 19-02-2016; Revised: 13-03-2016; Accepted: 30-03-2016.

Volume 2, Issue 3 · pp. 60–64 · PUBLISHED · DOI: 10.5530/jppcm.2016.3.1

View on JPPCM original site ↗

ABSTRACT

Physician dispensing refers to the legal practice where physicians directly supply their patients with medication bypassing the need for patients to use a community pharmacy to fill their prescription. This practice is common in India where 80% of all physicians are legally allowed to dispense medications. Problems persists because patients are required to purchase any medication deemed necessary by the physician; therefore, conflicts of interest can arise due to financial incentives based on the number of medications the physicians dispense to the patient. Physician dispensing has negatively impacted community pharmacy relationships by taking away their business and forcing them to close. Similar to the United States, dispensing physicians are regulated by the board of pharmacy and are required to be compliant with the same regulations as pharmacies, however inspections are not nearly as often or as strict. Loopholes in the laws allow physicians to find ways around regulations and be noncompliant without sustaining consequences. Regulations, such as those in United States, that prohibit physicians from receiving profits based on the number of medications they dispense should be created in India to reduce conflicts of interest and prevent community pharmacies from going out of business.

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    Darekar, A., Patel, I., Clemons, M., Tan, X., Rana, R., Bhatia, D., & Chang, J. (). Dispensing Practices in India and United States. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine, 2(3), 60–64. https://doi.org/10.5530/jppcm.2016.3.1