In recent years, major advances in the spheres of computer, automation and robotics technologies have re-shaped the pharmacy practice and have enabled machines to perform various tasks – preparation of medicines, dose verification, choosing the appropriate route of drug administration, distribution and dispensing of medicines. As artificial intelligence (AI) robots have taken over many of pharmacists’ functions in a business environment with a constantly increasing number of nationally authorized drugs, the focus of phar-macy profession has shifted from the traditional drug preparation and dispensing to the provision of patient counseling on the appropriate drug use.
The purpose of this study was to analyze physicians’ attitudes towards extemporaneous prescribing and dis-pensing. We performed a direct anonymous survey among general practitioners and medical specialists in the city of Varna, Bulgaria.
Although a dwindling number of pharmacy practices are being registered for extemporaneous preparation in accordance with the current pharmacopoeia and magistral formulae, the necessity and the advantages of extemporaneous medicines are indisputable.
Our study findings show that extemporaneous medications are preferred by physicians to meet the need of a tailored approach to patient care, individualized drug dosing, and selection of the suitable route of drug ad-ministration, particularly in young children.
Despite the abundance of industrially manufactured pharmaceuticals, extemporaneous medications are still often prescribed and prepared when there are no appropriate market alternatives.
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