Study of Romanian private pharmacists

The pharmacists were shown to be willing and potentially effective means for expanding the use of modern contraceptive methods in Romania. Because revenues from contraceptive sales likely will remain an insignificant percentage of total revenues, efforts to encourage private pharmacists to sell and provide information about contraceptives should emphasize the social and health benefits of these products, rather than the potential economic benefits of selling them. Cash flow is a major problem for private pharmacists, and they may require positive credit terms as an incentive to carry additional stocks of contraceptives. The pharmacists consider themselves to be health professionals rather than business people. They are interested in and willing to pay for training about new contraceptive products and suppliers, but they are uninterested in business-oriented training. (Author abstract)