ABSTRACT
Background: Management of medical ailments requires sound knowledge of diseases and drugs. Medical students are more likely to practice self-medication due to easy access to information. Inappropriate and inadequate treatment can lead to morbidity and mortality. Thus, the current study was carried out to understand the perception and practice of self-medication in medical students so that habit of ethical practice can be inculcated in them.Methods: A self-developed and prevalidated questionnaire was distributed amongst 145 students of second MBBS after approval from Institutional ethics Committee. Data was collected; analysed using MS Excel and the results were expressed as counts and percentages.Results: In this study authors noted 136 (93.79%) out of the 145 students practised self-medication. The commonest reason being effectiveness of medications for similar conditions in the past 92 (69.17%). 111 (81.61%) students reported fever as the most common indication. Analgesics/anti-pyretics 117 (86.02%) were the most frequently used drug groups. Majority 87 (63.97%) obtained information from friends and relatives. Adverse effects of self-medication were noted in 20 (14.70%).Conclusions: This study indicates higher prevalence of self-medication in medical students of Goa. Students can be sensitised and made aware about possible adverse effects and drug interactions with self-medication and how simple looking illness may take an ugly turn. Students being future doctors will continue this chain of spread of awareness of self-medication. Easy access to healthcare can also solve these problems.
ABSTRACT
Background: To ascertain whether the pharmaceutical companies are following the WHO criteria for “Ethical medicinal drug promotion 1988” and “OPPI Code of pharmaceutical marketing practices, 2012” and to what extent. Also, to evaluate the therapeutic claims made by them in their drug promotional literature and other aspects.Methods: Drug Promotional Literature (DPL) from different pharmaceutical companies was collected from various Medical practitioners and analysed to see if they achieved objectives. Therapeutic claims made by them were classified as authentic, exaggerated, controversial, false, and misinterpreted.Results: Total 250 DPLs were collected and critically analysed for information content. Out of the 11 WHO criteria for ethical medicinal drug promotion (1988), Majority (30%) followed only 54.54% of the criteria while only 4% followed 100% of the criteria. The total number of claims in the 250 DPL were 354 of which 52.8% were authentic and 47.2% were misleading. From the misleading claims: 28.7% were exaggerated, 34.7% were controversial, 22.8% were false, 23% were ambiguous.Conclusions: This study enabled us to find out to what extent the pharmaceutical industries follow the standard criteria for DPL and evaluate the claims made by them. DPL is one of the important sources of drug information. Some of the pharmaceutical companies failed to follow the WHO criteria while advertising their products in order to make them look more lucrative having an underlying commercial motive. As they influence prescribing patterns of the clinicians, misleading promotional literature would result in irrational prescribing of drugs. To avoid this, DPL has to be critically evaluated.
ABSTRACT
Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are a common problem worldwide. They are frequently encountered in non-critical as well as in critically ill hospitalized patients.Methods: This was a prospective and observational study conducted on patients admitted in CCU and ICCU of Goa Medical College and Hospital. Data was collected from the patients� case records and was analysed referring to WHO prescribing indicators. Data was represented as Mean盨D, number and frequency.Results: A total of 2250 drugs were prescribed, out of which 376 (16.71%) were gastrointestinal drugs. Most common route of administration was oral 323 (85.90%). Prescription patterns of GI drugs were: 275 (73.14%) from National List of Essential Medicines, 20 (5.31%) as fixed dose combinations and 4 (1.06%) by generic names. Pantoprazole 183 (48.67%) was the most frequently prescribed drug for peptic ulcer in present study.Conclusions: From the findings of this study we noted that among the GI drugs used, those for peptic ulcer were the most commonly prescribed. Also majority were from the essential drug list. But prescribing by generic names was low. Review of drug utilization trends is a necessary aid to formulate and modify existing protocols and guidelines to improve treatment outcomes in a given setting.