Statistical Overview of Drug Shortage in Syria
Reem Antakly1, Fatima Najjar2, Ayat Abbood3
1Reem Antakly, Student, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tishreen, (Latakia), Syria.
2Fatima Najjar, Student, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tishreen, (Latakia), Syria.
3Ayat Abbood, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Quality Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tishreen, (Latakia), Syria.
Manuscript received on 22 October 2024 | Revised Manuscript received on 09 November 2024 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 December 2024 | Manuscript published on 30 December 2024 | PP: 1-5 | Volume-5 Issue-1, December 2024 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijapsr.A405905011224 | DOI: 10.54105/ijapsr.A4059.05011224
Open Access | Editorial and Publishing Policies | Cite | Zenodo | OJS | Indexing and Abstracting
© The Authors. Published by Lattice Science Publication (LSP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Access to medications is a fundamental aspect of healthcare and vital for human well-being. Medicine shortages are widespread and impact countries across all income levels. This research aimed to monitor the characteristics of drug shortages in Syria through a distributed survey. 76% of the sample were females. 88.9% of the sample were 20-29 years old. A high percentage of the participants were single (86.6%). 62% were students. Pharmacy is the profession or field of study for most participants (83.4%). Half of the participants live in the city (51%). Most participants work at a local pharmacy. The majority (79.5%) have fewer than 5 years of experience. Most participants were well-informed about medication shortages and personally experienced the impact of this issue in their professional or personal lives. A shortage of baby supplies, specifically baby milk, was reported by 70.33% of the surveyed parents. Tablets and capsules are the pharmaceutical formulations that experience shortages most commonly. Shortages were reported in all categories of medications. Participants identified the shortage of raw materials and low profit margins as significant factors contributing to drug shortages. Further research into drug shortages in Syria is warranted to address this issue.
Keywords: Drug Shortage, Syria, Knowledge, Survey.
Scope of the Article: Pharmaceutical Analysis