This study investigates the views of general medical
practitioners (GP) to the extended role of the community
pharmacists (CP). A self-administered questionnaire was
distributed to all private clinics (n=438) run by GPs in the state of Penang. The questionnaire asked GP’s views on
ideas for new services provided by community pharmacists.
Three hundred and twenty-seven questionnaires were
collected, giving a response rate of 74.5%. More than 50% of respondents were in favour of the community pharmacist
involvement in activities of providing public health
education (58.7%), contacting GPs on matters related to
prescribing and prescription errors (56.0%), and referring
patients who exhibit drug-related problems (53.0%).
However, the respondents had a mixed opinion regarding
the roles of CPs in smoking cessation programme (34.8%)
and providing drug information to physicians (43.0%).
Additional research is needed to explain GPs attitudes
towards the acceptability of the new role of the pharmacist.