ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the availability and equipment of antidiabetic drugs in public hospitals from Shaanxi prov-ince. METHODS:Using a standardized methodology developed by WHO and Health Action International,the availability and equipping rate of the most common oral antidiabitic drugs were investigated and evaluated in public hospitals of Shaanxi province. RESULTS:The availability and equipping rate of tertiary hospitals and secondary hospitals were all higher than those of community health service centers. Among generic drugs,the availability of metformin was the highest (94.4%),and those of glibenclamide and repaglinide were the lowest(5.6%). Among original drugs,the availability of acarbose was the highest(68.1%). The equip-ping rate of original drugs was higher than that of generic drugs. The equipping rate of generic drugs(25.0%)was higher than that of original drugs(12.5%)in community health service center,but the equipping rates of generic drugs and original drugs were in low level. CONCLUSIONS:General hospitals (especially tertiary hospitals) have high equipping rate of original antidiabetic drugs,the community health services have low availability and equipping rate. Comprehensive measures should be taken to im-prove the availability of drugs in primary medical institutions and ensure drug use of chronic disease patients in primary hospitals.