Nationwide Survey Aimed at the Spread and Continuation of Self-Blood Tests at Community Pharmacies

-Second Report: Disincentives among Pharmacies Not Designated as Bioanalytical Labs

Abstract

In April 2014, legal and regulatory changes in Japan allowed self-blood tests to be performed at community pharmacies designated as “Bioanalytical Labs”. However, the number of new applications from pharmacies seeking to become Bioanalytical Labs is decreasing. We previously examined the disincentives to continuation of operation as a Bioanalytical Lab. In this study, we aimed to reveal the disincentives to the spread of Bioanalytical Labs among Japanese pharmacies. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 993 randomly selected pharmacies that had not been designated as Bioanalytical Labs. We received 336 responses, of which 315 were valid. Almost half of the respondents indicated a lack of knowledge of Bioanalytical Labs. Therefore, to accelerate their spread, it seems important to raise awareness of Bioanalytical Labs among pharmacists. Additionally, more than 80％ of the respondents were willing to encourage users to seek a medical consultation after a self-blood test when needed. The spread of Bioanalytical Labs could contribute to increased visits to medical institutions and earlier detection of diseases. Many pharmacies cited a shortage of space, lack of personnel, or the cost of equipment as a reason why they had not yet applied to become a Bioanalytical Lab. Our previous study found that burdens such as a shortage of space and the cost of equipment significantly decreased after beginning operation as a Bioanalytical Lab. The dissemination of this finding could lessen the disincentives found in the present study.