Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka förändringar i pris och tillgänglighet på OTC-läkemedel före och efter avregleringen av det svenska apoteksmonopolet ur ett konsumentperspektiv. Metod: Kvantitativ undersökning med abduktiv forskningsansats, där datainsamling sker via telefonkontakt och observation av hemsidor Teori: Marknadsformer, Avregleringar, Marknadsmixen, Prissättningsstrategier, Öppettider Resultat: Uppgång skedde kontinuerligt i pris på OTC-läkemedel före avregleringen av apoteksmonopolet och öppettiderna var då begränsade. Undersökningen visar att pris på OTC-läkemedel marginellt gått upp och en ökning skett i antal timmars öppethållande per vecka bland samtliga återförsäljare. Avregleringen har bidragit till stora variationer i priser och öppettider bland olika återförsäljare. Det finns ett mycket svagt positivt samband mellan pris på OTC-läkemedel och öppettider. Starkast är sambandet för Bensinstationer och Kiosker och närbutiker där undersökningen visar på både ett högt pris och flexibelt öppethållande. / The purpose of this thesis is to examine the changes in price and availability for OTC-pharmaceuticals before and after the deregulation of the Swedish pharmacy monopoly. In order to carry out the examination a quantitative approach is used and data has been collected by phone calls and observations. The framework is theories on the subject of market structure, deregulation, the marketing mix, price strategies and availability. The thesis has concluded that before the deregulation the price continually increased but the opening hours were limited. After the monopoly ceased the price has marginally increased and the number of opening hours per week has extended. Different retailers are after the deregulation able to sell OTC-pharmaceuticals and there is a variety among them regarding price and opening hours, which enables the customers to make choices between them. The study found a weak positive correlation between price and opening hours. The strongest correlation was found among Petrol stations and Convenience stores, which showed high price and flexible opening hours.

No description available.

<p>Malaria is a health, social and economic burden in Nigeria and consistently ranks amongst the four most common causes of childhood deaths. Treatment of malaria is usually started at home / care is only sought from the health facility when the treatment is ineffective (McCombie, 1996). Patent medicine vendors (PMVs) have been identified as a widely patronized source for drugs used in the home treatment of malaria (Breiger et al, 2001 / Goodman, et al, 2007 / Salako et al, 2001). Inadequate or poor knowledge and practices in the use of anti-malaria drugs (AMDs) increases morbidity and mortality, undermines therapeutic efficacy, and promotes the emergence and spread of drugresistant malaria. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe and quantify the knowledge and self-reported practices of PMVs in the use of antimalarials, particularly artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), in a poor urban community in Lagos state, Nigeria.</p>

Il presente lavoro si propone di analizzare in una prospettiva funzionale la nuova disciplina dei contratti derivati over the counter introdotta in Europa con il Regolamento 648/2012 (EMIR) e in USA con il Dodd-Frank Act, con l’obbiettivo di metterne in luce punti di forza e di debolezza. Per perseguire compiutamente detto obiettivo, la tesi propone un percorso logico che parte dall’approfondimento delle cause economico-giuridiche che hanno favorito il propagarsi degli effetti negativi della crisi, che successivamente si sofferma sulle possibili risposte normative ai problemi posti dagli strumenti derivati. Infine, l’analisi si termina sottolineando gli aspetti problematici legati all’effettività della nuova disciplina, soprattutto alla luce delle policy dynamic che si sviluppano intorno al lungo procedimento di approvazione di norme complesse. / This dissertation aims at analyzing, with a functional approach, the new regulations of over the counter derivatives introduced in Europe with the 648/2012 Regulation (EMIR) and in the US under the Dodd-Frank Act, with the goal to underlying the strengths and weaknesses. To fully achieve this objective, the thesis proposes a logical path that starts from the deepening of economic and legal causes that have favored the spread of the negative effects of the crisis, then focuses on possible regulatory responses to the problems posed by derivatives. Finally, the analysis ends pointing out the problematic aspects related to the effectiveness of the new rules, especially in light of the policy dynamic developed during the long process of approval of these complex rules.

Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2009

Introduction Older adults are regular consumers of over-the-counter (OTC) medications. OTC medications are generally considered safe, and convenient to use without requiring a prescription. However, the safety of an OTC medication and the final health outcome depends in part upon consumers’ perceptions, beliefs, and their decision-making about OTC medication use. The main objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the prevalence and characteristics of OTC medication use among community-dwelling US older adults (65 years and older), 2) to explore older adults’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and experiences about OTC medications, and 3) to elicit the OTC medication decision-making process in this population. Methods Data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) wave 2 was utilized to examine the prevalence and characteristics of OTC medication use in a nationally representative sample (N=2,637) of community-dwelling US older adults (65 years and older). OTC medication use was characterized based on sociodemographic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community-level factors. Further, a mixed-methods study was conducted in two senior-living communities in Richmond, VA. The qualitative phase of this mixed-methods study used focus group methodology to explore the knowledge, attitude, beliefs, and experiences about OTC medications, and the OTC medication decision-making process in a sample (N=80) of older adults using the criterion sampling strategy of purposeful sampling. Results from the qualitative phase informed the development of a semi-structured questionnaire, which was used to collect data in the quantitative phase of the mixed-methods study. The quantitative phase used in-person interviews to quantify attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and practices associated with the OTC medication use and decision-making process in a different convenient sample (N=88) of older adults within the same settings. Results NSHAP Study: The majority of participants were women (54%), whites (82%), and with an education greater than high school (57%). Study findings indicate a high weighted prevalence (76%) of OTC medication use in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Among older adult men, education (p value=0.0038), race (p value=0.0003) and comorbidity (p value =<0.0001) significantly and independently predicted the OTC medication use. Older adult men who were whites had greater odds of using OTC medication than other races. Older adult men with higher than high school education were 1.54 times more likely (95% CI: 1.15-2.06) to use OTC medications than their counterparts. It was observed that with every unit increase in the number of co-morbid conditions, OTC medication use decreases by 26% (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65-0.84) among older adult men. Among older adult women, education (p value=0.0244), race (p value=0.0048), smoking (p value=0.0494), and social participation (p value=0.0341) showed a significant and independent association with OTC medication use. Older adult women who were whites and non-smokers had greater odds of using OTC medication than their counterparts. Older adult women with higher than high school education were 1.36 times more likely (95% CI: 1.04-1.79) to use OTC medications than their counterparts. It was observed that with every unit increase in the social participation, OTC medication use increases by 15% (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.31) among older adult women. Qualitative Study: The majority of the sample were women (63%), whites (54%), and with an education greater than high school (60%). The study indicated that the OTC medications are generally considered very safe and effective for treating minor/routine symptoms by older adults. Brand version OTC medications were generally favored over generics by this sample of US older adults. There were found two types of decision-making scenarios following after the older adults make sense of their symptoms: 1) treatment decision-making and 2) purchase decision-making. The treatment decision-making comes with two approaches: 1) a decision to treat their symptoms by themselves (self-recommended) or 2) a decision to ask and/or follow physician’s recommendation (physician-recommended). Each of these treatment approaches may lead to the other depending on the person’s financial and healthcare resources, severity of the symptoms, experiences with the medication (past or current), and relationship with the physician. While purchasing OTC medication from the store, the majority of consumers first explore information on the drug-label, ask a pharmacist, compare various options (generic or brand), compare prices/deals, and make a final purchase decision favoring the maximum and fast relief, followed by the lower cost, and easy to swallow dosage forms. Quantitative study: The majority of the sample was women (55%), blacks (61%), and with an education less than or equal to high school (55%). Analgesics were the most (76%) prevalent OTC therapeutic category, and aspirin was the most (65%) prevalent OTC medication. A greater (82%) proportion of the participants reported self-recommended OTC medication use (self-medication with OTC medications) rather than physician-recommended use. A high (41%) prevalence of inappropriate use of OTC medications was observed in this sample of older adults. Most participants considered OTC medications very safe or safe (80%) and very effective or effective (80%) to use. The majority (79%) of participants felt very satisfied, and 16% felt satisfied with their OTC medication use. Brand name OTC medications were considered more safe and effective compared to generic versions. The pharmacy was the most (93%) commonly reported purchase location to buy an OTC medication. Physicians were the most (90%) commonly reported information source about OTC medications. Conclusions Older adults feel positive and satisfied with their OTC medication use, in general. Considering the self-reported high use, inappropriate use, and experiences of facing side effects, education focused toward older adults should be encouraged to aid in safe and responsible OTC decision-making.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Malaria is a health, social and economic burden in Nigeria and consistently ranks amongst the four most common causes of childhood deaths. Treatment of malaria is usually started at home; care is only sought from the health facility when the treatment is ineffective (McCombie, 1996). Patent medicine vendors (PMVs) have been identified as a widely patronized source for drugs used in the home treatment of malaria (Breiger et al, 2001; Goodman, et al, 2007; Salako et al, 2001). Inadequate or poor knowledge and practices in the use of anti-malaria drugs (AMDs) increases morbidity and mortality, undermines therapeutic efficacy, and promotes the emergence and spread of drugresistant malaria. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe and quantify the knowledge and self-reported practices of PMVs in the use of antimalarials, particularly artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), in a poor urban community in Lagos state, Nigeria. / South Africa

The world bond market is nearly twice as large as the equity market. The goal of this dissertation is to study the dynamics of bond price. Among the liquidity risk, interest rate risk and default risk, this dissertation will focus on the liquidity risk and trading strategy. Under the mathematical frame of stochastic control, we model price setting in U.S. bond markets where dealers have multiple instruments to smooth inventory imbalances. The difficulty in obtaining the optimal trading strategy is that the optimal strategy and value function depend on each other, and the corresponding HJB equation is nonlinear. To solve this problem, we derived an approximate optimal explicit trading strategy. The result shows that this trading strategy is better than the benchmark central symmetric trading strategy.

Yes / Team-based learning is an active learning strategy that focuses on student’s engagement, development of critical thinking, and transferable skills needed in the workplace. While many pharmacy faculties around the world have applied team-based learning into their curriculums, the implementation of team-based learning into the Middle East is still in the experimental phase and poses its own challenges. This reflective statement elaborates on our experience and feedback of implementing team-based learning for the first time at the pharmacy faculty of Zarqa University in Jordan through the delivery of over-the-counter module.

In South Africa, over-the-counter (OTC) bond options may be used in order to either hedge or speculate. However, since 2001, this market deteriorated significantly. The current research assessed the role of the local bond option market, reasons for the deterioration of the South African OTC bond option market, and how this bond option market could possibly be restored as a primary hedging instrument. The opinions of individuals operating in this market were obtained using a questionnaire. In the opinion of the respondents, wide bid–offer spreads, regulatory interferences and poor participation within this market caused market deterioration. The market could be restored as a hedging instrument if effective market integration exists, interbank trading regularly takes place, liquidity was enhanced, transparency increased and investor knowledge improved. Future research could focus on regulatory transformation, the types of derivatives used for hedging, and an assessment of appropriate continuous professional development interventions for investors. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)