87364University of Bergen, Department of Health Promotion and Development, Bergen, Norway.
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Department of Public Health and Sports Sciences, Elverum, Norway.
Inquiry. 2022 Jan-Dec;59:469580221086585. doi: 10.1177/00469580221086585.
The informal market for medicines has been growing. In Ivory Coast, this informal market is an unofficial core part of the health system. Given the risks associated with the informal market for medicines, it is important to understand why this market continues to grow. It becomes even more important in the context of COVID-19, as a huge chunk of falsified medical products end up at the informal market. A qualitative case study design was chosen for this study, with in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) being the methods for data collection. 20 IDIs and 3 FGDs were conducted. Participants in this study are sellers, buyers, and pharmaceutical experts. We found out that the informal market for medicines thrives because it is highly accessible, convenient, affordable, and that it is used for various social, cultural, and religious reasons. The study concludes that although this informal market presents a clear danger to public health, it is thriving. For authorities to address this public health challenge, there is need for a holistic and multi-pronged approach, which includes addressing health systems factors and strengthening regulatory framework.
药品的非正规市场一直在增长。在科特迪瓦，这个非正规市场是非正式的核心医疗体系的一部分。鉴于药品非正规市场相关风险，了解为什么这个市场在继续增长是很重要的。在 COVID-19 背景下，由于大量假冒医疗产品最终流入非正规市场，这一点变得更加重要。本研究选择了定性案例研究设计，深入访谈（IDIs）和焦点小组讨论（FGDs）是数据收集的方法。共进行了 20 次 IDI 和 3 次 FGD，参与者是卖家、买家和制药专家。我们发现，药品的非正规市场之所以蓬勃发展，是因为它具有高度的可及性、便利性、可负担性，并且出于各种社会、文化和宗教原因而被使用。研究得出结论，尽管这个非正规市场对公共健康构成了明显的威胁，但它仍在蓬勃发展。为了让当局应对这一公共卫生挑战，需要采取全面和多管齐下的方法，包括解决卫生系统因素和加强监管框架。
