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Community pharmacy offers comprehensive and varied services in Taiwan

  • Data Source:Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Created:2017-12-14
  • Last Updated:2017-12-14

Taiwan has implemented the separation of prescribing and dispensing since 1997. It also stimulates the growth of pharmacy. The number of national health insurance contracted pharmacies has reached more than 6,000, which has a higher density than convenience stores. Bases on a 2016 survey, it showed that 80% of pharmacies open over 12 hours, approximately 40% of pharmacies open throughout the year without any day off, and just over 30% have one day off.

Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) recently conducted a survey to understand the public opinions on community pharmacies. The results showed that the professional services provided by pharmacists without difference between community pharmacies and hospital. Overall, the public generally thinks that pharmacists provided services with consistency, and also recognized that the community pharmacy offered more customer-oriented services on dispensing, consultation, medicine management and home delivery service for medicines.    

Government used to educate people how convenient the community pharmacies are. With the number of community pharmacies has increased, community pharmacists gradually enter into resident’s home and deliver medication. People rely on the community pharmacists to solve medication problems and improve their health and wellness. It has been 20-years of implementing the separation of prescribing and dispensing, the functions and roles of community pharmacies, and the positive image of community pharmacists are rooted in our daily life in Taiwan.