Trends of Quasi-drug Sales in Community Pharmacies:Analysis Using Panel Data in Korea

Quasi-drugs, defined under Article 2, Clause 7 of the Korean Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, include products related to disease treatment or prevention that exert weak or indirect effects on the human body. Despite their relevance to daily health practices and chronic disease management, sales trends in community pharmacies remain underexplored. This study analyzed sales data from 428 panel pharmacies across Korea to quantify quasi-drug sales and identify variations by pharmacy characteristics. Analyses covered demographic profiles, monthly and regional sales patterns, top-selling products, and differences between pharmacies with high versus low proportions of quasi-drug sales. Sales peaked in July-August due to demand for repellents and hygiene products, with higher sales in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan reflecting pharmacy density. Bacchus-D represented over 11% of total sales, alongside hydrocolloid bandages, blood glucose test strips, and COVID-19 self-test kits. Pharmacies with higher quasi-drug sales emphasized chronic disease management products, while those with lower proportions showed fragmented patterns without clear bestsellers. In multivariable logistic regression, pharmacies with higher monthly prescription volumes and those located near secondary or tertiary hospitals were more likely to belong to higher quasi-drug sales quartiles, whereas higher monthly sales volume was inversely associated. These findings indicate that structural and operational characteristics significantly influence quasi-drug sales performance in community pharmacies.