Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study

Introduction: Our objective was to assess the perception, attitudes, and experiences of Lebanese hospital pharmacists in everyday practice regarding the drug shortage as well as to identify challenges and propose solutions.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and June 202...

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Main Authors: Hadi Hallal, Maha Hoteit, Souheil Hallit, Mahmoud Hallal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2025.2464786
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author Hadi Hallal
Maha Hoteit
Souheil Hallit
Mahmoud Hallal
author_facet Hadi Hallal
Maha Hoteit
Souheil Hallit
Mahmoud Hallal
author_sort Hadi Hallal
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Our objective was to assess the perception, attitudes, and experiences of Lebanese hospital pharmacists in everyday practice regarding the drug shortage as well as to identify challenges and propose solutions.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and June 2021, enrolling 36 Lebanese hospital pharmacists.Results: The economic crisis and issues with the quality of medicines were ranked as the top two causes of drug shortages in Lebanese hospitals; 88.9% of hospital pharmacists thought that switching to lower doses and using alternatives (97.2%) can be considered viable solutions. To address the issue of drug shortages, efforts made by manufacturers were 36.1%; the availability of alternative drugs in hospitals was 63.9%. All classes of drugs were shorted in hospitals. Hospital pharmacists spent less than 5 h/day to track medicine shortages (44.5%), identifying alternatives (97.3%), purchasing alternatives (91.7%), deliberating with physicians (91.7%). Pharamcists approached ‘the parallel import' approach (75%) and contacted other hospitals (52.8%) to insure medicines alternatives.Discussion: Drug shortages in Lebanon are driven by various factors and have been increasing across governorates. Public health is the most impacted, especially for patients requiring intensive care, which consequently affects their quality of life.
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spelling doaj-art-8774f59d850c475f95d35cf223df95a62025-08-20T02:38:06ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice2052-32112025-12-0118110.1080/20523211.2025.2464786Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional studyHadi Hallal0Maha Hoteit1Souheil Hallit2Mahmoud Hallal3Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, LebanonFood Science Unit, National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon (CNRS-Lebanon), Beirut, LebanonSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, LebanonGastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medical Science, Lebanese University, Beirut, LebanonIntroduction: Our objective was to assess the perception, attitudes, and experiences of Lebanese hospital pharmacists in everyday practice regarding the drug shortage as well as to identify challenges and propose solutions.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and June 2021, enrolling 36 Lebanese hospital pharmacists.Results: The economic crisis and issues with the quality of medicines were ranked as the top two causes of drug shortages in Lebanese hospitals; 88.9% of hospital pharmacists thought that switching to lower doses and using alternatives (97.2%) can be considered viable solutions. To address the issue of drug shortages, efforts made by manufacturers were 36.1%; the availability of alternative drugs in hospitals was 63.9%. All classes of drugs were shorted in hospitals. Hospital pharmacists spent less than 5 h/day to track medicine shortages (44.5%), identifying alternatives (97.3%), purchasing alternatives (91.7%), deliberating with physicians (91.7%). Pharamcists approached ‘the parallel import' approach (75%) and contacted other hospitals (52.8%) to insure medicines alternatives.Discussion: Drug shortages in Lebanon are driven by various factors and have been increasing across governorates. Public health is the most impacted, especially for patients requiring intensive care, which consequently affects their quality of life.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2025.2464786Lebanonhospital pharmacistsdrug shortageexperience
spellingShingle Hadi Hallal
Maha Hoteit
Souheil Hallit
Mahmoud Hallal
Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
Lebanon
hospital pharmacists
drug shortage
experience
title Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
title_full Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
title_short Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study
title_sort perceptions attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in lebanon a national cross sectional study
topic Lebanon
hospital pharmacists
drug shortage
experience
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20523211.2025.2464786
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AT mahahoteit perceptionsattitudesandexperiencesofhospitalpharmacistsworkingintheprivatesectorregardingdrugshortageinlebanonanationalcrosssectionalstudy
AT souheilhallit perceptionsattitudesandexperiencesofhospitalpharmacistsworkingintheprivatesectorregardingdrugshortageinlebanonanationalcrosssectionalstudy
AT mahmoudhallal perceptionsattitudesandexperiencesofhospitalpharmacistsworkingintheprivatesectorregardingdrugshortageinlebanonanationalcrosssectionalstudy