Introduction of Pharmaceutical Consulting in the Sale of Over-the-Counter Medicines in Retail Pharmacies of the Republic of Belarus
The article describes the current state of implementation of pharmaceutical services and consulting in the industrialized countries of the world, Russia and Ukraine in comparison with the Republic of Belarus. The global practice of the pharmaceutical community in expanding the range of services provided in a pharmacy has already shown its long-term clinical and economic benefits.To date, the requests of visitors to Belarusian pharmacies have changed, they increasingly resort to self-treatment and, turning to a pharmacy, want to get advice on the rational use of over-the- counter medicines, as well as additional information on the use of Rx-medicines prescribed by a doctor.The results of the preliminary survey of pharmacy workers have already indicated the patients’ demand for pharmaceutical consulting: the ratio of product and problem issues in most cases is 60% to 40%. Accordingly, upon receipt of a problematic issue, the responsibility of the pharmacist for the patient’s pharmacotherapy increases, pharmacies become not just a place of sale of medicines, but also a place of receiving pharmaceutical advice. Consequently, the provision of pharmaceutical consulting in retail pharmacies of the Republic of Belarus is already underway, but this activity is outside the legal field, which requires the need for serious scientific study and the development of organizational recommendations in this area.