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. 2025 Mar 11;18(1):2475082.
doi: 10.1080/20523211.2025.2475082. eCollection 2025.

The paradox of community pharmacy practice in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Nadir Kheir  1
Affiliations

The paradox of community pharmacy practice in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Nadir Kheir. J Pharm Policy Pract. .

Abstract

Community pharmacies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are widely accessible yet underutilized due to regulatory constraints, educational disparities, public misconceptions, and economic pressures. These factors limit pharmacists' roles to mere dispensers, hindering their integration into healthcare systems. Addressing this paradox requires regulatory reforms, alignment of education with practice, public awareness campaigns, and systemic integration to fully leverage community pharmacies' potential in enhancing healthcare delivery.

Keywords: Community pharmacy; LMICs; pharmacist role; pharmacy regulations; quality of care.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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