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Background Around the globe, community pharmacy has always been a health care hub made accessible to the public. Aim This study was conducted to evaluate consumers' perceptions towards the role of the pharmacist as health educator ( HE) and hence to identify the barriers toward consumers' acceptance of the role. Method This qualitative study was conducted in four states of Malaysia where participants (>18 years old) were recruited using a convenience sampling method until saturation of themes. A semi-structured interview guide was used and face-to-face interviews with consenting participants were conducted for approximately 20 min by trained interviewers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and evaluated using a thematic content analysis approach. Results In all, 21 consumers were interviewed. Analysis of interview transcripts identified four major themes: understanding of the term ' HE', facilitators and barriers for consumers accepting pharmacists as HE, and strategies to overcome the barriers. Most respondents acknowledged and recognised the roles of community pharmacists in terms of giving clear advice and explanations about healthcare issues and medications, and the ability to educate the public. The major barriers included the experience of the pharmacist, consumers' preferences for general practitioners as their HEs, the unavailability of pharmacists on the premises and personal encounters with pharmacists with bad attitudes. Conclusion Consumers generally accept pharmacists as HEs. However, some barriers do exist. The pharmacy stakeholders in the country need to address these barriers in order to improve future utilisation of community pharmacists as HEs in the existing healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To improve pharmaceutical care delivery in Malaysia, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had introduced the concept of value added services (VAS). Despite its reported convenience and advantages, VAS utilization rate is low in the country. The study aims to explore patients’ understanding, beliefs and expectations towards VAS in Malaysia using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as the theoretical model. Methods: A qualitative methodology was used whereby face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 12 patients who collected partial medicine supplies from government pharmacies. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling method in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Interviews were audio‐recorded. Verbatim transcription and thematic content analysis were performed on the data. Results: Thematic content analysis yielded five major themes: (i) attitudes towards using VAS, (ii) subjective norms, (iii) perceived behavioural control, (iv) lack of knowledge and understanding of VAS and (v) expectations towards VAS. Conclusion: The interviews explored and informed new information about salient beliefs towards pharmacy VAS. The findings suggest that VAS is still in its infancy and a more robust and effective advertising and marketing campaign is needed to boost the adoption rate. Behavioural attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control elements were discussed and serve as important variables of interest in future study. Expectations towards VAS serve as an important guideline to further improve patient‐oriented services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In many countries, the most readily accessible drug information resources, such as the Monthly Index of Medical Specialties ( MIMS), lack information concerning use in children. We reviewed the product information (PI) of medications in the most widely used drug information reference in Malaysia in an effort to determine the extent and the nature of available information related to pediatric dosing. Methods: The products listed in the 2007 Malaysian MIMS Annual were reviewed for PI on pediatric use as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. The dosing information for each PI was extracted according to age groups. Product information that claimed suitability for use in pediatrics was further evaluated for information on pediatric dosage formulations. Results: A total of 421 PI items from seven categories of therapeutic classes were reviewed. Of these, 69% gave inadequate pediatric dosing information. The proportions, for each age group of PI items that gave adequate pediatric dosing information were: neonates (13.1%), infants (23.3%), and children (32.2%). Therapeutic classes of drugs differed significantly in terms of dosing information adequacy for all pediatric age groups ( P < 0.05). Most PI reviewed under all legal categories provided inadequate pediatric dosing information, but suitable pediatric formulations were commonly (70.1–85.5%) available where the dosing information existed. Overall, category B (prescription only) products did not differ significantly from category C (pharmacy only medicine) products in terms of pediatric dosing information adequacy, except for children. Conclusion: This study has managed to contribute substantial additional information regarding the extent of pediatric dosing information and dosage formulations available in the MIMS Annual, stressing that the majority of PI for the products reviewed did not provide adequate dosing information for pediatric patients, subjecting this population to a therapeutically disadvantaged status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which is concerned with human papilloma virus vaccines in Malaysia.

A letter to the editor is presented which is concerned with dispensing medications.