Rapid assessment of price instability and paucity of medicines and protection for COVID-19 across Asia: Findings and public health implications for the future

December 14, 2020

Godman B, Haque M, Islam S, et al.

Frontiers in Public Health

In this pilot study, 308 pharmacists and drug store owners from five Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Vietnam) took part in the evaluation of availability, use, and price of COVID-19 related medicines and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Asian countries from March 2020 to May 2020. From the questionnaire responses, the authors saw a substantial increase in use of antimicrobial medicine in Pakistan and that their prices remained stable in India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In addition, there was no change or decreased use in antimalarials in pharmacies in Bangladesh (51.2%), India (45%), Malaysia (83.3%), and Vietnam while use of vitamins, immune boosters, and PPE increased in locations in all evaluated countries. The authors identified that community pharmacies and patient organizations may be important to promote public health messages as well as to address the effects of misinformation and the consequences of lockdowns.

Godman B, Haque M, Islam S, et al. Rapid assessment of price instability and paucity of medicines and protection for COVID-19 across Asia : findings and public health implications for the future. Front Public Heal 2020; 8: 585832

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