Data from: How well are national guidelines relating to the general sales of aspirin and paracetamol, adhered to by retail stores: a mystery shopper study

Objective: To determine whether non-pharmaceutical retail outlets are aboding to the current Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) national guidelines for over-the-counter (OTC) sales of aspirin and paracetamol.
Methods: Stages 1 and 2 of the study deployed eight and four medical students, respectively, to undertake a mystery shopper style investigation. Stage 1: eight medical students attempted to buy ≥96 tablets/capsules aspirin or paracetamol in one transaction in 62 shops. Stage 2: four medical students attempted to purchase 32 paracetamol 500 mg along with a ‘flu remedy preparation also containing paracetamol, in 54 shops. Results: Stage 1 data revealed that 58% and 57% retailers sold more than the MHRA guidelines recommended for paracetamol and aspirin, respectively. We observed that 23% and 28% retailers were willing to sell ≥96 tablets of paracetamol or aspirin with no questions asked. Stage 2 results showed that 57% retailers sold 32×500 mg paracetamol in conjunction with a paracetamol-containing ‘flu preparation; while 98% shops sold 16×paracetamol 500 mg along with a paracetamol-containing ‘flu remedy, with no questions asked of the shopper or advice given. Discussion: MHRA national guidelines for OTC medicines sales appear to be poorly adhered to in non-pharmacy shops. Sales of aspirin and paracetamol OTC must be better regulated in the UK to ultimately reduce morbidity and mortality rates of deliberate and accidental overdoses.

研究目的：旨在探究非药品零售门店是否遵守英国药品与医疗保健产品监管署（Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, MHRA）现行的非处方（over-the-counter, OTC）阿司匹林与对乙酰氨基酚销售国家指南。
研究方法：本研究分为两个阶段，第一阶段与第二阶段分别招募8名与4名医学生开展神秘顾客式调研。第一阶段：8名医学生尝试在62家门店单次交易购买≥96片/粒阿司匹林或对乙酰氨基酚；第二阶段：4名医学生尝试在54家门店购买32粒500mg对乙酰氨基酚，同时搭配一款同样含有对乙酰氨基酚的「流感治疗制剂」。
研究结果：第一阶段数据显示，分别有58%与57%的零售商售卖的对乙酰氨基酚与阿司匹林销量超出MHRA指南的推荐限额。调研发现，23%与28%的零售商可直接向顾客售卖≥96片对乙酰氨基酚或阿司匹林，未提出任何疑问。第二阶段结果表明，57%的零售商可向顾客售卖32×500mg对乙酰氨基酚搭配一款含对乙酰氨基酚的流感治疗制剂；另有98%的门店可直接售卖16×500mg对乙酰氨基酚搭配含对乙酰氨基酚的流感治疗药物，未向顾客提出任何疑问或提供相关用药指导。
讨论：非药房类零售门店对MHRA非处方药品销售国家指南的遵守情况欠佳。英国需进一步加强对非处方阿司匹林与对乙酰氨基酚销售的监管，以最终降低蓄意与意外过量服用导致的发病率与死亡率。