Dispensing separation (DS) in Malaysia: challenges, perceptions, and benefits / Mohd Shah Rezan Hamzah

he term DS refers to a practice in medicine and pharmacy in which the doctor who prescribes a medical item is separate from the pharmacist who fills the prescription. In Malaysia, DS was implemented in government hospitals and primary care clinics but was absent in private practices, including community practices [1-3]. However, the increasing number of pharmacists in recent years, coupled with a growing workforce in community settings, now qualifies them for exclusive dispensing rights, unlike the pre-independence era [1, 3, 4].