Information from the abstract
Background Online purchasing has made medicines easy to obtain, but safe use depends on appropriate information and knowledge of which products may lawfully be bought outside licensed pharmacy premises. Under the Thai Drug Act B.E. 2510, only limited household remedies may be sold outside pharmacies. We examined why students buy medicines online, what safety information they receive, and how well they recognize which products may lawfully be sold online. Methods An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted among 385 university students who had previously purchased medicines or health products online between December 2024 and January 2025. A structured questionnaire assessed purchasing motivations, safety information, and a ten-item knowledge index covering regulatory categories and specific marketed products. Descriptive statistics were used to summerise purchasing behaviour and information receipt. A prespecified logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with adequate knowledge, following the STROBE guideline. Results Of the 385 participants, 205 (53.2%) had bought medicines online and 348 (90.4%) has purchased health products. Perceived prudouct quality or certification received the highest mean influence ranting (4.44 of 5), followed by convenience (4.25), resonable price (4.17), and privacy (4.15). Among medicine purchasers, only 46 (22.4%) received all five safety-information items; storage and side-effect information were supplied least often. The mean knowledge score was Knowledge was 6.04 out of 10, and 105 participants (27.3%) met the criterion for adequate knowledge. Participants scored higher on regulatory categories than on practiceal product recongnition (4.15 versus 1.89 out of 5; Cohen's d = 1.32). Only 10.6% recognised that the large-pack paracetamol product could not be purchased online. Studing pharmacy (adjusted odds ratio 9.11) and older age (1.38 per year) were associated with adequate knowledge. Conclusions Knowledge of which medicines may lawfully be purchased online was limited in this sample of previous online purchasers; and safety information was often imcomplete. As digital channels for medicine access expand, consumers need practical education based on specific products, while online systems should provide structured medicien information and access to professional advice.
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Related topics: Pharmaceutical Quality and Counterfeiting · Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy · Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare
Thai researcher and institutional participation
Duangkamon Sakloetsakun · Jinwara Sinthujariwat · Warimon Nontamart · Yaowapha Chotsapsakun · Panumart Phumart · Khon Kaen University
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