The expected and unexpected benefits of dispensing the exact number of pills.

ABSTRACT:

Background

From November 2014 to November 2015, an experiment in French community pharmacies replaced traditional pre-packed boxes by per-unit dispensing of pills in the exact numbers prescribed, for 14 antibiotics.

Methods

A cluster randomised control trial was carried out in 100 pharmacies. 75 pharmacies counted out the medication by units (experimental group), the other 25 providing the treatment in the existing pharmaceutical company boxes (control group). Data on patients under the two arms were compared to assess the environmental, economic and health effects of this change in drug dispensing. In particular, adherence was measured indirectly by comparing the number of pills left at the end of the prescribed treatment.

Results

Out of the 1185 patients included du

SUBMITTER: Treibich C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5604959 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature