For many patients in India, pharmacies are their first point of contact, where most drugs, including antibiotics, can be purchased over-the-counter (OTC). Recent standardised (simulated) patient studies, covering four Indian cities, provide new insights on how Indian pharmacies manage patients with suspected or known tuberculosis. Correct management of the simulated patients ranged from 13% to 62%, increasing with the certainty of the TB diagnosis. Antibiotics were frequently dispensed OTC to patients, with 16% to 37% receiving such drugs across the cases. On a positive note, these studies showed that no pharmacy dispensed first-line anti-TB drugs. Engagement of pharmacies is important to not only improve TB detection and care, but also limit the abuse of antibiotics.
© 2017 The Authors.