Objective: An external training seminar was held for registered salesclerks of drugs to help them keep and improve their knowledge of drugs.  To promote self-medication and to enhance the content of training seminars, we collected data in the form of inquiries the clerks had received from customers and what information the clerks sought from drug companies.
Methods: Our survey was conducted with 199 registered salesclerks of drugs at an external training seminar in Tokyo, Japan.
Results: The main inquiries from customers to the registered salesclerks were “selection of an analgesic for headache” (83.8%), “selection of an analgesic for cramps” (62.3%), and “selection of an analgesic for toothache” (57.7%).  The main information that they sought from drug companies were “side effects,” “interaction between drugs,” “time of onset of action,” and “degree of effect of drugs.”
Conclusions: To respond to the inquiries from customers, it was necessary to supply the clerks with knowledge of pharmacokinetics in the external training and to supply them with information on side effects, interaction between drugs, time of onset of action, and degree of effect of drugs on individual products from drug companies.  Additionally, this information and knowledge of drugs can be gained from not only the external training and drug companies but also from pharmacists they work with.  It was thought that continuing the external training seminars and input of information from drug companies led to levels similar to a pharmacist and the registered salesclerks contributed actively to promoting self-medication.