COMMUNITY pharmacies are growing more popular for several reasons, Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) president Amrahi Buang said.

“People find it convenient to go a pharmacy, where they describe their symptoms to the pharmacists and get their over-the-counter medications or supplements for probably a cheaper rate than at clinics,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

In 2020, it was reported that Malaysia had around 2,600 community pharmacies, half of which were in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people went to pharmacies to buy sanitisers and medical masks as well as over-the-counter drugs.

Amrahi said people preferred going to the pharmacy rather than the clinic. 

“Pharmacists don’t charge for consultation for common ailments such as cough and flu unlike in the clinic but it must be understood that we pharmacists can’t examine or treat illnesses like doctors. 

“That doesn’t mean we are just drug sellers; we also provide various services, most commonly medication counselling. 

“If someone comes in with common symptoms like cough or flu, we give them the medication without charging consultants. This could appeal to consumers who want to save money,” Amrahi said.

Amrahi said pharmacies also stock many different brands.

“For example, if someone goes to a clinic to get paracetamol, they could probably only get one brand but in pharmacies, we have a variety of brands,” he said.

Prescriptions

Amrahi said most people go to clinics because their employers provide basic medical coverage or to get a medical certificate for sick leave. 

He said that people have the right to ask for a drug prescription at the clinic and decide where to fill it. 

 “It is a patient’s right to ask for a prescription at clinics.

“The consumers must be able to decide if they want to buy the medicine from the clinic or whether they want to purchase it elsewhere.” – February 15, 2023.