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Wei Chern Ang, Mohd Shainol Azmar Kassim, Nurul Najihah Azni, Yong Kang Cheah, Availability, prices, and affordability of essential medicines for children in community pharmacies: evidence from the state of Perlis, Malaysia, Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, Volume 16, Issue 2, June 2025, rmaf007, https://doi.org/10.1093/jphsr/rmaf007
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Abstract
To examine the availability, prices, and affordability of essential medicines for children (EMc) in community pharmacies (CPs).
A cross-sectional survey was conducted across all CPs in Perlis. The median price ratio (MPR) was a ratio of the median unit price to reference. Affordability was based on the lowest daily wages required.
The mean availability of generic medication (55.9%) and brand medication (31.4%) was low. For international reference price, chlorpheniramine tablets and salbutamol syrup had the highest MPR among generic medication and brand medication, respectively. Asthma was the most expensive treatment.
Availability of EMc is low in CPs. They cost higher but are still affordable.