And in other news that's going to force a change in consumer habits, pharmacies are now being forced by strict regulations to require a prescription for all prescription regulations.
Now, this may sound like emphasizing the obvious - but the truth is that many prescription meds can be obtained over the counter without a prescription.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is now enforcing regulations on the accessibility of prescription medication.
Senior drug inspector, Samira Gongora, says that the measure must be taken to ensure the safe use of medications countrywide:
Samira Gongora, Senior Drug Inpector
"Prescription drugs that drugs that are prescription have always been prescription drugs. You need a valid prescription to access them from the pharmacy and for it to be dispensed. We have taken the liberty to separate pharmacy sale from general OTC because we know in Belize in some rural areas, we don't have pharmacies everywhere, like especially down south."
"So we've put some items on general sale so that these items can be available at grocery store, providing that they're stored at the accurate temperature, not to affect the integrity of the product. So it's nothing new."
"I mean, as a pharmacist, you know that certain medication, antibiotic control drugs, drugs for NCDs, they require a prescription at all times. If it is, let's say you're a patient with diabetes or hypertension, you should have already enrolled in a clinic."
"You have a doctor, you have your appointment pretty much every three months in the public sector. And even in the private sector, if it is that you're seeing a doctor, you have your appointments that you need to meet whenever your refills are up."
"So let's say you're on your metformin as a diabetic. After that three months is up, you have to make sure that you meet your appointment to see your doctor. Because what it is that you have to make sure, and this is in the best interest of the patient, we need to make sure, or you need to make sure that the medication that you're taking is working."
"So in addition to getting your prescription filled, you need to see the doctor every so often, do your diagnostic tests, you need to do your blood works, you need to do x-ray, ultrasound, to see if it is that the medication that you have been prescribed is working or the doctor would need to change it to something else that can allow you to be a patient that is controlled and that your illness is controlled."
"So pretty much that is what we are what we are ensuring that we have control over the medication and that it is in the best interest of the patient that they get their checks done and you're not taking that medication forever and ever and you don't know if it's working or you're getting worse."
