LAUSR

Background: Digitalisation has increased the level of expenditure on online healthcare products. Various drug categories, ranging from over-the-counter to prescription-required drugs, are available online. Currently, no data on drug purchases in the Indonesian marketplace can be found. However, data from the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII) in 2019 shows that 92.1% of students are internet users. Objective: The study aimed to investigate drug purchasing trends in Jakarta, with a particular focus on students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Methods: A descriptive-analytic approach with a proportional stratified sampling technique was applied. The data collection period was between February – May 2022. Results: Approximately 52.6% of the respondents reported having purchased drugs in the marketplace, especially vitamin or supplement products, comprising 47.4% of the purchases, followed by over-the-counter drugs at 36.8%, and finally, prescription-required drugs at 16.8%. In addition, only 10.5% of respondents said there was a request for a doctor's prescription by a supplier. The information provided by suppliers, age, and availability of various drug products correlated with drug purchases in the marketplace (p<0.05). Conclusion: Healthcare students often purchase drugs in the marketplace, including prescription-required drugs that should only be available with a doctor's prescription. To ensure safe drug purchasing, strict regulations and supervisory functions are necessary.