They are no longer just points of sale of medicines, but time has been strengthening them as the first contact between the community and the health system. Daily, Miles consult your pharmacist of trust when they face initial cold symptoms, allergies, headache or have small wounds. This early interaction not only relieves the burden of health centers and hospitals, but allows responsible management of symptoms and prevention of complications.
First consultation
The pharmacist, formed in pharmaceutical chemistry and with continuous update as required by his profession, is trained to guide the patient in the correct use of free sale medications, recommend self -care measures and detect alarm signs that require a doctor’s derivation.
This accompaniment is relevant in Peru, where self -medication remains an extended practice. According to an analysis of the beginning of 2025 published in the Journal of Public Health Research on public health studies, 68% of Peruvians acknowledge having medicated without a recipe in the last year, especially with non -steroidal anti -inflammatories.
As is known, one of the main risks of self -medication is the inappropriate use of antibiotics, which contributes to the worrying increase in bacterial resistance. Pharmacies, through dispensing protocols, are key barrier to prevent antibiotics, corticosterids or other restricted prescription drugs being used without medical supervision.
Self -medication consequences
Taking medications without prescription or medical supervision is deeply rooted in popular culture and represents a silent risk for public health.
Here we explain some dangers:
– Disease masking. The consumption of drugs, especially broad-spectrum or corticosteroids can hide or mitigate the initial symptoms of serious ailments (such as serious bacterial infections, COVID-19 or tuberculosis), delaying the correct and timely diagnosis.
– Antimicrobial resistance (RAM). This is perhaps the most critical risk. The indiscriminate and incorrect use of antibiotics, often at improper doses or for insufficient periods, promotes the appearance of resistant bacteria. RAM is a global threat that reduces the effectiveness of medicines, causing common infections to be mortal.
– Adverse reactions and toxicity. Without a known medical history and adequate evaluation, self -medication can cause unexpected adverse reactions, dangerous interactions with other medications that the patient is taking, or even liver or renal damage due to overdose or misuse.
Given this reality, the role of the pharmacist must be taken with seriousness and responsibility. Peruvian legislation requires a medical recipe for the sale of antibiotics. However, the control of this rule is almost not complied with.
Thus, the pharmacist is the last barrier to stop the sale without prescription and raise awareness among the risks of self -medication.
The modern pharmacy
In the 21st century, the role played by the Peruvian pharmacy is changing. It aspires to be a multifunctional space, governed by high quality standards and a deep commitment to community health. These characteristics distinguish it from other retail shops and give it a unique identity within the health system. The mandatory presence of a pharmaceutical chemist is the differentiating factor par excellence. Unlike a common store, the pharmacy must comply with strict health regulations that guarantee the correct conservation of medicines, including the management of the cold chain for biological medications and vaccines. The review of the sanitary records, the control of the expiration dates and the verification that the drugs come from laboratories and distributors authorized to indirectly combat falsification, is another of their tasks.
The international trend aims to strengthen the role of community pharmacy as a primary health axis. Experiences in countries such as Spain and Chile show that these establishments can contribute to vaccination campaigns, early detection of chronic diseases and health education, downloading hospitals and improving public health indicators.
More value services
The care role of the pharmacy has expanded significantly. In the complex panorama of Peruvian public health, characterized by overload in hospitals and health centers, pharmacies and apothecies, in addition to guaranteeing the safe sale of medicines, offer complementary services:
– Basic health monitoring: blood pressure measurement and rapid glucose controls are essential services. These allow patients with hypertension or diabetes to carry constant and accessible monitoring, facilitating the early detection of anomalies that require medical intervention.
– Personalized pharmaceutical advice: The pharmacist provides detailed information on the correct use of medicines, possible interactions with other drugs or food and side effects. This personalized orientation is crucial to optimize therapeutic treatment and adhesion, especially in chronic patients.
– Injectable and nebulizations services: under strict biosafety protocols and trained personnel (usually a nursing or nursing technician supervised by the pharmaceutical chemist), the administration of injectables and the realization of nebulizations offer a highly demanded outpatient health service.
The continuous training of your staff is another additional. To keep up with pharmacological advances, new treatment protocols and sanitary alerts, pharmacies staff, from the pharmaceutical chemist to technicians, must participate in constant training programs. This ensures that the council offered to the community is always updated and based on evidence.
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