Closure of dispensing pharmacies during bon holidays--a problem on separation of prescribing and dispensing.

The separation rate of prescribing and dispensing in Japan has doubled to 62.3% in the 2006 fiscal year from 36.2% in the 1999 fiscal year. Although it is great that the separation rate of prescribing and dispensing has approached the level of other developed countries, is it actually convenient for the user? The greatest demerit of the application of separation is that patients must go to a pharmacy to obtain medicine after a medical examination. Although public hospitals are open except for national holidays, private pharmacies may be closed for holidays that are not in the calendar (ex. Bon holidays etc.) In this case, the situation where "a patient cannot obtain medicine because of closure of pharmacies even if he/she has a prescription" may arise. Therefore, we have investigated the situation on closure of dispensing pharmacies in Osaka city during Bon holidays.