POSC218 Study of Antibiotic Consumption Trends in Public Pharmacies during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ukraine

ABSTRACT

Objectives: European studies showed, up to 70% of patients with COVID-19 received antibiotics. In Ukraine, due to the Order of MoH of Ukraine dated 31.12.2020 3094 there is a requirement that antibiotics are contraindicated, they can prescribe only in the presence of laboratory-confirmed bacterial infection or with reasonable suspicion. The study aim was to assess current trends in the consumption of antibiotics in pharmacies during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey "Assessment of the antibiotic consumption and need for e-prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic" was developed. The survey was conducted during postgraduate education using the Google platform. We send 225 and received 205 completed surveys from pharmacists, who have from 5 up 40 work experience years (directors, managers of pharmacies, general pharmacists) from 5 regions of Ukraine. Results: We found that the consumption of antibacterial medicines in 2020, compared to 2019, increased by 50,5%. There were such antibiotics in the greatest consumption beta-lactames 66.1%;respiratory fluoroquinolones 19.2%;macrolides 14.7% for outpatientsfrom public pharmacies. The analysis showed the most often consumed antibiotics were azithromycin (65.4%), cefoperazone;(47.6%), cefipim (42.3%), piperacillin sodium, tazobactam sodium (27.5%), meropenem (15.2%). We found that 79.1% of pharmacists consider necessary to more strictly monitoring of the antibiotic prescribing by family doctors. There are 97.5% of pharmacists consider it necessary to release e-prescriptions,reimbursement of antibiotics. Conclusions: A Pharmacist Protocol for the symptomatic treatment of uncomplicated forms of COVID -19 has not yet been introduced in Ukraine, but 83.1% o of pharmacists considered that this protocol is necessary for good pharmacy practice in pandemic. There is prospective to implement e-prescriptions of antibiotics from pharmacies and reimbursement during a COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacists indicated that patients often take antibiotics without a prescription, which can lead to develop of antibiotic resistance and an increase in the treatment cost in future.