{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T02:05:00Z","timestamp":1777860300140,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JRS"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>BACKGROUND: The world has faced an unprecedented challenge since COVID-19 emerged as a pandemic, which has led to quarantine and disruptions in drug services. During the pandemic, drug use habits and availability changed, causing a shift in behaviors and, in turn, medicine misuse. In Iraq, this is a major problem because many medicines can be easily obtained. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to describe the pattern of dispensing medications during the pandemic and to evaluate the biochemical and pathological consequences. METHOD: The analytical, observational, cross-sectional study was performed via a compiled questionnaire for 400 random pharmacists, and the analysis and interpretation of the biochemical changes and medical reports. RESULTS: Results revealed that dispensing of medications since the COVID-19 outbreak has increased by 74%, and the demand for medicines seems higher than required in comparison to the periods before the pandemic, while 60% of the dispensed medicines were taken just in case needed. In addition, the availability of medicines decreased by 61%, and the dispensing of common medicines increased due to the belief in their prophylactic action. Several biochemical abnormalities and pathological consequences were recorded due to the irrational use of medicines, and the highest percentage (12%) was seen in hepatic and liver enzymatic dysfunction and 8% for the endocrine and hormonal abnormalities. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that most of the dispensed medicines were not used on a therapeutic or scientific basis during the pandemic.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3233\/jrs-220061","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,20]],"date-time":"2023-06-20T11:31:27Z","timestamp":1687260687000},"page":"295-311","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dispensing medicines in the community pharmacy"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"34","author":[{"given":"Shafq","family":"Al-Azzawi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":", University of Babylon, , Iraq"},{"name":"PhD\/Pharmacy, University of Brighton, , UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dhafir","family":"Masheta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":", University of Babylon, , Iraq"},{"name":"PhD\/Pharmacy, University of Brighton, , UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/JRS-220061_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1954","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sapharm.2020.04.032","article-title":"When fear and misinformation go viral: pharmacists\u2019 role in deterring medication misinformation during the \u201cinfodemic\u201d surrounding COVID-19","volume":"17","author":"Erku","year":"2021","journal-title":"Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/JRS-220061_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s40545-020-00285-5","article-title":"Medicines dispensing practice during the era of COVID-19 pandemic: a commentary","volume":"14","author":"Hasen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.3233\/JRS-220061_ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1177\/10783903211059532","article-title":"COVID-19: changing the landscape of substance use","volume":"28","author":"Leahy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association"},{"issue":"19","key":"10.3233\/JRS-220061_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7213","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17197213","article-title":"How the health rumor misleads people\u2019s perception in a public health emergency: lessons from a purchase craze during the COVID-19 outbreak in China","volume":"17","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"},{"key":"10.3233\/JRS-220061_ref5","unstructured":"W.W.H.O. 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