ArticleIntegrated pharmacy research & practice2024
Disposal of Unused Antibiotics in Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Article in Integrated pharmacy research & practice, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Expired Ibrutinib as a Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitor for P110 Carbon Steel in Hydrochloric Acid: Integrated Experimental, Electrochemical, and Multiscale Computational Insights.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Ecopharmacovigilance and Drug Disposal: A Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Veterinary Healthcare Providers in and Around Gondar City, Ethiopia.Veterinary medicine and science · 2026Article
- Greening the curriculum: challenges in bringing environmental sustainability to pharmaceutical education.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Improper disposal of unused antibiotics poses a significant global challenge, drawing attention from various stakeholders. This discharge of antibiotics into the environment can occur through various means such as industrial production, consumption, and excretion by humans and animals, as well as improper disposal of unused or expired antibiotics. The aim of our study is to investigate the availability of proper disposal of antibiotics in community pharmacies and to explore obstacles and opportunities from pharmacist's point of view. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods approach that consisted of two study arms: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative arm used a mystery-shopper method for assessing the disposal of antibiotics in community pharmacies. The qualitative study arm consisted of several in-depth semi-structured focus groups with a sample of pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Riyadh. Results: The mystery shopper arm showed that 85% (n=88) refused to take the return of antibiotics. Interviews with pharmacists have indicated a lack of knowledge on safe disposal methods for antibiotics and medications. Additionally, pharmacists have cited several factors contributed to accumulation of the antibiotics such as nonadherence or policies mandating the sale of whole medication packs instead of the required amounts as a contributing factor to this issue. Furthermore, there is a lack of dedicated facilities for the population to safely dispose of their medications and/antibiotics. Conclusion: By acknowledging the factors contributing to improper disposal practices, recognizing the importance of proper antibiotic disposal, and advocating for multi-faceted initiatives, we can work towards mitigating this critical issue. Through collaborative efforts involving education, policy interventions, and community engagement, we can foster a culture of responsible medication disposal, ultimately safeguarding public health and environmental well-being.
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.