Self-medication among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative analysis of different faculties

Self-medication is a widespread public health concern. University students are likely to be more prone to it since self-medication rates increase with educational level. Studies have shown that self-medication rates vary among academics belonging to different faculties, and medical students have the highest self-medication rates. However, it is unknown whether this holds in a vulnerable situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also unknown whether differences in technical knowledge of drugs influence self-medication rates among students. Thus, this study analyzes and compares prophylactic self-medication among graduate students of different faculties in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a private university in southern Brazil. Students from the medicine, law, life sciences, and fine arts faculties were surveyed, and their responses were compared using a chi-square test. Among 396 respondents, 29.5% reported using preventive medication for COVID-19, and medical students were the least likely to do so. The self-medication rate was 13.6% among respondents, and self-medication did not differ significantly between students of different faculties. Of the students who self-medicated 63% reported having studied the medication before using them. Furthermore, the media did not induce drug use among 81.8% respondents. These results show that medical students used fewer preventive medications during the pandemic and refute the assertion that self-medication rates are higher among medical students. They also show that self-medication rates during the pandemic were significantly lower than those before the pandemic. These revelations show a new aspect of self-medication.Copyright © 2021 Muslim OT et al.

On the Frontline Against COVID-19: Provision of Community Pharmacy Services during a Public Health Crises

Objectives: During the current pandemic, it is recognised that pharmacies will often be the first point of contact with the health system for individuals with COVID-19 related health concerns or who require reliable information and advice. It is also important in the midst of the current public health crisis to reduce general practitioners' (GP) minor ailment-related workload. The aim of our study is to examine the problems in the midst of public health crisis of the current magnitude with the roles and activities of pharmacists. This information could help to inform future decisions about the restructuring of existing health services by governments, public health bodies and policy makers in response to public health crises such as COVID-19. Method(s): The study was carried out among 384 consumers using pharmacy in the regions of Armenia and Yerevan. Research instrument was questionnaire. Number of questionnaires distribution was determined by The Survey System Version 11.0. Analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 12.0). Result(s): During the study it becomes clear that very few percentage of consumers (17%) consulted by a pharmacy employees. Most of them don't get the necessary information from the pharmacy employee about medicine. Only 29 % of consumers are clearly satisfied with the answers of a pharmacy employee and 26% fully trust them. Conclusion(s): Steps should be taken for improving the professional knowledge of pharmacists about medicines and pharmaceutical care, which, in turn, can restore consumer trust in them, will help avoid self-medication errors by providing advice on medicines in response to public health crises such as COVID-19. There is a need to develop pharmaceutical care algorithms for minor ailments, national emergency drug formularies for COVID-19.Copyright © 2023

Attitude and Practices of self-medication among the students of Sialkot Medical College, Sialkot

Background: During covid-19 period not only general public was victim of anxiety besides all medical professional also face anxiety and change their Information seeking behaviour according their personality. Curiosity is in human nature with the easy access to internet the new horizon to information has been opened. People searching trends have shown that they are interested in health risk to health treatment for their health related problems. Aim(s): In this study examined the influences of anxiety (ISA) and Personality traits (PT) on health information seeking behaviour (HISB) among the Doctor, paraprofessional and final year medical students who are frontline worker during pandemic situation. Methodology: The study adopted survey method with non-probability convenience sampling to collect statistical. Questionnaires werefiled from 313 participants by utilizing convenient sampling and analyzing the data through SPSS. Result(s): The result showed that significant relation between personality traits, information seeking anxiety and health information seeking behaviour. In medical library user PT has significant impact on HISB (p<.05), (AVG_PT=.002) and ISA has impact on HISB but it is not significant in medical professional (beta -.070) value shows ISA has negative impact on HISB. Practical implication: This study will be beneficial for information professionals, health care workers, policy makers and administrators to access of information resources in hybrid format. Conclusion(s): Medical professional's plays an important role in our society. They work hard and served the nation during pandemic situation. Anxiety is natural phenomena to every person. So medical professional also feel anxietybut the medical profession demands its professionals to stay cool, calm and free of anxiety by having analytical and cognitive skills, in order to fulfill the needs of their profession. This research helps to understand that ISA has no significant impact on HISB while PT has significant impact on HISB.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

Self-Medication Among Medical Students During the COVID19 Pandemic

Introduction: During the different wave of pandemic, due to various reasons self-medication practices among the public increased. Medical students are prone to such practices due to relevant background knowledge, and access to drugs. This study assessed the self-medication practice among the medial students during the different waves of pandemic of south Gujarat. Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted during May to June 2022 through self-administered form among medical students of south Gujarat, India. Study questionnaire included general de-mography;most frequently practice of self-medication. drug and the reason behind it. Result: Out of total 512 respondents, 381 (74.4%) did self-medication during the pandemic. 358 individuals (94.0%) did self-medication at least one drug since the start of pandemic. The most commonly utilizing medi-cines as prophylactic was Ayurvedic preparation, Multivitamins, Zinc and Vitamin C. For treatment of symptoms during the pandemic paracetamol (650 mg) was frequently used specially for body ache and fever. The main source of information of self-medication was internet. Conclusion: This study depicted common self-medication practices among medical students during the pan-demic. It is a significant health issue especially during the pandemic times, with high consumption reported as a prevention or treating symptoms of COVID-19. © 2023, MedSci Publications. All rights reserved.

Self-Medication in Medical Students during Covid-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Self-medication is one of the most common health maintenance practices in the world, and has been observed more frequently after the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, responsible self-medication is very important to ensure public health and to alleviate health systems. Medical students are referents in society in terms of medication knowledge and therefore are promoters of medication use behaviors.Objective: evaluate self-medication practices among medical students in the context of non-specific symptoms associated or not with SARS-COV-2 infection at a university in Barranquilla, Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in a population of 2285 medical students. A sample of 350 randomly selected students was taken, and a self-administered survey was applied to inquire about aspects related to self-medication practices.Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 100%, and non-responsible self-medication practices were identified in 70.1% of the participants. The academic level of clinical sciences was associated with a high level of knowledge of medication (OR: 1.91;95%CI: 1.1-3.6);however, these variables did not show an association with responsible self-medication practices. Additionally, 48% indicated that they would be willing to self-medicate without seeking medical assistance in case of symptoms probably related to COVID-19. Conclusions: A high frequency of non-responsible self-medication was found. Further studies are needed to facilitate effective interventions.

Online survey results among social network users in terms of the COVID-19 problem

Aim. An online survey among social network users was conducted to assess the frequency of COVID-19 cases, the spectrum of medications used for treatment, and the subjective assessment of clinical manifestations of the disease. Material and methods. An anonymous online survey was conducted among users of various social networks using a questionnaire created on the SurveyMonkey survey and research platform. During the first month of December 2021, the survey included 23 questions regarding the clinical and demographic characteristics of respondents, the number of COVID-19 cases, clinical manifestations, and severity, as well as the need for medical help and medication. Results. 752 respondents took part in the online survey, more than 70% of them are under 50 years old. Among the respondents 59.73% had a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). More than 40% of the participants had COVID-19 in the period from September 2020 to April 2021 (2nd wave in Russia). In 79.2% of people, the presence of a new coronavirus infection was confirmed by one of the diagnostic methods: polymerase chain reaction (PCR test), radiography, the presence of antibodies to Ig G/M, and took into account the presence of contact with infected SARS-CoV-2. 411 participants observed any clinical manifestations of the disease. Most often respondents who had COVID-19 indicated weakness, cough, dyspnea, disappearance or decrease in the acuity of smell and taste. The volume of lung tissue damage in 36.5% of cases was less than 25%. The disappearance of any clinical manifestations of the disease immediately after recovery was noted by 32.0% of respondents. Most of the patients (59.2%) sought medical help at the polyclinic, 38.9% had to self-medicate. 71.9% respondents indicated they had been vaccinated against COVID-19, but without specifying the timing and completeness of the course. Side effects after immunization (fever, weakness, soreness, and redness at the injection site) were subjectively assessed by 41.9% of respondents. Conclusion. Among the surveyed respondents, 62.7% of the disease symptoms were mild. The highest number of cases occurred in the 2nd and 4th waves of COVID-19 morbidity in Russia. Most often respondents indicated symptoms of acute respiratory infection. The complete disappearance of clinical manifestations of the disease immediately after recovery was noted by 32.0 % of respondents, and the persistence of symptoms for up to a year - 7.5. More than 70% of the participants in the online survey reported vaccination against COVID-19, but the questionnaire did not include questions about the timing of vaccinations (before or after COVID-19) and the completeness of the course.Copyright © Eco-Vector, 2023. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Seeking Behaviour of Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients During Second Wave in Tertiary Care Hospital of Northern India

Background: The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues its deadly reign all over the world. Devising effective strategies for detecting and controlling the infection has become ever more critical. Effective prevention and control of the pandemic is entirely dependent on human behavior in terms of practicing preventive and curative measures. During the second wave of COVID-19, people's perceptions of preventive and curative measures changed.Objective: To study healthcare-seeking behavior of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Methods: Hospitalized patients due to COVID-19 in the month of March, April and May of 2021 were included in the study. Their attendants/close relatives were contacted telephonically to know about the admitted patients' healthcare-seeking behavior. Verbal consent was taken from attendants before the commencement of the interview, followed by informing them about the purpose of the interview.Results: Amongst the subjects, there were more males than females (67.5 vs 32.4%), age ranged between 18 to 88 with a mean value of 56.61 +/- 14.7 years. Self-medication was significantly associated with study subjects' mortality (p=0.03).Conclusion: Elderly people were having higher mortality rate than their younger counterparts. People were hesitant to visit primary care physicians after having symptoms of COVID-19.

Attitudes, Practices and Knowledge of Honduran Physicians in the Prescription of Antibiotics in Covid-19

Intro: Antimicrobial resistance has been considered a global health problem, being one of the 10 most important public health problems worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of antibiotics were used without any control, both on an outpatient basis and in hospitalization, which can have serious consequences. Method(s): Prior informed consent, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 322 physicians. A survey was carried out in Google forms, and it was shared by telephone messages and social networks. Finding(s): 322 physicians, 60.9% women and 39.1% men, mean age 33.4 years, 85.9% general practitioners, 11.5% specialist physicians. 47.2% work in private institutions, 36% in public centers. Antibiotic policies in institutions: 50.3% do not have regulations for the use of antibiotics in COVID-19, only 29.5% work with policies to control the use of antibiotics and control measures against antibiotic resistance, 73.9% lack a committee for infection control and prevention of antibiotic resistance. Use of antibiotics: only 20.8% never used antibiotics in COVID-19, 45.6% used antibiotics in severe COVID-19, 40.4% hospitalized patients, and 33.5% outpatients. The most used antibiotics were azithromycin (67.1%), levofloxacin (53.4%), ceftriaxone (53.4%), and amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (34.8%). 43.2% consider that using antibiotics can reduce mortality in moderate and severe COVID-19, 50.3% believe antibiotics should be suspended if there is clinical improvement, 96.3% believe there is an increase in self-medication of antibiotics, 59.8% consider that they used antibiotics inconrrectly at some point, 58.1% consider antibiotic resistance to be a problem in their workplace. 86.3% currently make less use of antibiotics in patients with COVID-19. Conclusion(s): In Honduras, there are deficiencies in policies for the use of antibiotics and control of antimicrobial resistance. Most doctors consider that they have used antibiotics incorrectly, including antibiotics that can generate resistance.Copyright © 2023

A survey of chloroquine use for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria

Background: Rampant chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine poisoning in Nigerian hospitals following suggestions of its possible efficacy in the treatment and prevention of the newly emerged COVID-19 disease informed this survey. Objective(s): The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and perception of the Nigerian populace on the use of chloroquine in the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): This cross-sectional study was done by administering an electronic questionnaire created using Google Docs, through social media cascade methods including the WhatsApp application software to capture data on chloroquine use between April 20 and June 20, 2020. Result(s): Six hundred and twenty-eight people responded to the questionnaire (response rate 99.2%, mean age 41.05 +/- 12.3) from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria with 556 (88.5%) having tertiary level education. Only 21 (3.3%) of the respondents took chloroquine for treatment or prevention. Respondents from the North-west geopolitical zones used chloroquine 5.8 (95% CI: 1.55, 21.52, p=0.02) more times than other zones while the age group 20-29 were 8.8 times more likely to use chloroquine than any other age group (95% CI: 3.53, 21.70, p = 0.00). Female respondents were 2.3 times more likely to use chloroquine than the males (OR 2.26 95% CI: 0.90-5.68;p=0.08) and those in the income bracket of N75,000-99,000, 2.5 times more than other income groups. Conclusion(s): Young adults, North-western geopolitical zone, and female gender should be target groups for education on rational chloroquine use. The danger of chloroquine overdose should be communicated to the general population in Nigeria.Copyright © 2023 Olukosi AY et al. Licensee African Health Sciences.

Self-medication and use of medicinal plants among university students in the Peruvian Amazon during the first wave by COVID-19

Introduction: The accelerated spread of SARS-CoV-2 brought about a worldwide crisis, and a series of studies and recommendations to manage it. Before the pandemic, studies evidence a high prevalence of self-medication in university students. Objective: To identify the frequency and characteristics of self- medication against COVID-19 with drugs and/or medicinal plants in students of the National University of the Peruvian Amazon (UNAP), Iquitos, Loreto-Peru, during the first wave of COVID-19. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 338 students using a semi-structured ad-hoc survey with questions distributed in 3 dimensions: sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of COVID-19, and characteristics of the use of drugs/medicinal plants. Results: The mean age was 22.39 years (SD +/- 5.59), female sex predominated with 61.2 % (n=207), and 55.3 % (n=187) presented symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. In addition, 76.9% (n=260) used medication, distributed from highest to lowest 65.4% (n=170) drugs and plants, 25.8% (n= 67) only plants, and 8.8% (n=23) only drugs;79.2% (n=206) used self- medication. The main drugs used were dexamethasone, paracetamol, azithromycin, and ivermectin. The main medicinal plants used were eucalyptus, kion, chamomile, and matico. There was a probable association between self-medication and a history of symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (p= 0.001, 95% CI), and COVID-19 contact (p=0.011, 95% CI). Conclusion: Among students of a university in the Peruvian Amazon, a high prevalence and factors associated with selfmedication with drugs and medicinal plants were identified.

Patterns of Self-medication During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Colombian population.

Introduction: Self-medication is considered one of the most relevant problems for public health, since it is described as the voluntary use of drugs by the patient. Since the beginning of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been evident that this practice has increased considerably, especially in the adult population. Objective(s): To evaluate the different patterns that influence self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): A survey was conducted among the population of two vicinities of Bogota and the statistical program SPSS was used for data analysis to identify the main practices that increase the risks derived from self-medication, the most used drugs and their adverse effects. Socioeconomic factors related to self-medication were evaluated. A comparative study was carried out to observe their behavior before and during the pandemic. Additionally, the influence of the people who are part of the family and social environment on self-medication was evaluated. Result(s): The total number of surveys carried out was 301. The average age was 44.18 years. It was found that before the pandemic there was a higher frequency of self-medication of analgesics (49.1 %) and anti-influenza drugs (19.5 %), and during the pandemic it was of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (4.43 %), home remedies (6.69 %) and antibiotics (30.38 %). In addition, it was found that those who had the greatest influence on self-medication were family members (23.9 %), friends or acquaintances (17.3 %) and the pharmaceutical chemist (5.0 %). Conclusion(s): It is evident that during the COVID-19 pandemic self-medication is higher than in the pre-pandemic era, increasing the risk of adverse events and compromised patient safety.Copyright © 2023, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 exposes weaknesses in public health in the Peruvian Amazon and highlights opportunities for a one health approach

The Amazon is home to important wildlife and a biodiversity hotspot of global importance. The ancestral knowledge kept by Indigenous communities about its fauna and flora contributes further to its irreplaceable value. The Peruvian Amazon was heavily struck by the COVID-19 epidemic with a cumulative incidence of 725, a mortality rate of 34 per 100,000 inhabitants, and a case fatality rate of 4.6% by the end of July 2020. In this work, we review scientific literature and media to trace the events that happened at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in the Peruvian Amazon. Results are synthesized in three observations: (1) the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic within the Peruvian Amazon and the response of the Peruvian health care system, (2) Confusing information about Ivermectin use for COVID-19 treatment and prevalent self-medication (3) The response of the traditional Indigenous health care system to the COVID-19 epidemic. These three observations are interdependent. There is an unexploited potential for integrative approaches linking traditional medical practices (TMP) and biomedical approaches and they may benefit from the interactions that occur between them. Synergies can also be explored between the human and animal health care sector, especially in terms of the use and stewardship of medicines. We conclude that there is a benefit of the One Health approach in the region, which can go through the common ambition to improve the integrated health of people, animals and ecosystems, facilitate the enhancement of equity and inclusion while improving access to health services and conserving biodiversity.

Self-medication Practices for COVID-19 Prevention: A Study among Medical Students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the interest in self-care strategies, including self-medication. Medical students, as future health practitioners, learn more about medications than other students. This study aimed to describe self-medication practices for preventing COVID-19 among medical students at Universitas Islam Indonesia. This observational study used a cross-sectional design and was undertaken in November- December 2020. The study sample included 336 undergraduate medical students determined using a consecutive sampling technique based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected using an online questionnaire about self-medication practices in the preceding 3 months. Among a total of 336 students, 137 (41%) reported using self-medication intending to prevent COVID-19, and 126 (92%) of these 137 took preventive supplements, mainly vitamins C, D, and E, and omega-3. Seven students reported the use of zinc, mainly in combination with other vitamins. Students who practiced self-medication lived closer to people confirmed with COVID-19, washed their hands more often, and desinfected their belongings more frequently than their counterparts (p<0.05). The mean duration for consuming vitamins was 11-16 days. Forty students (29%) used herbal medicine to prevent COVID-19;ginger, turmeric, honey, black seed, cutcherry, and Curcuma were the most often consumed herbal remedies. Fourteen students (10%) reported taking over-the-counter medications to relieve symptoms related to COVID-19, including antipyretic, analgesic, antiseptic, antihistamine, decongestant, antitussive, and expectorant medications. Most respondents (82%) purchased their medications at pharmacies, and 11 (9%) obtained them from online shops. These findings show the high rate of self-medication using vitamins and herbal remedies for COVID-19 prevention among university medical students. Further studies are needed to explore students' knowledge about the risks of self-medication including the use of herbal medicines.Copyright © 2022 Marmara University Press.

The Utility of Internet-Enabled Antibiotic Self-Medication and Its Associated Factors Among Patients Attending Private Clinics in Kawempe Division in Kampala Capital City, Uganda: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: The expanding practice of internet-based antibiotic self-medication raises public health concerns as it increases antibiotic resistance and introduces avoidable risks. This study aims to examine the utility of internet-enabled antibiotic self-medication and its associated factors among patients attending private clinics in Kawempe division in Kampala Capital City, Uganda. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study that enrolled participants attending private clinics in Kawempe Division's randomly selected zones. These were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using STATA version 12 software. Logistic regression analysis was used, and variables with p ≤ 0.05 were considered as significantly associated with internet-enabled antibiotic self-medication. Results: Out of the 313 respondents, 246 (79%) reportedly had ever used internet sources to self-medicate with antibiotics. Factors such as being male; single; had knowledge of antibiotics; believed that Internet should be used for antibiotic self-medication; Distance to the nearest medical center/hospital from your residence/workplace of about 5 km and residing near a drug shop/pharmacy that gives antibiotics without a prescription increased internet-enabled antibiotic self-medication. Furthermore, the variables of more than three household members; common practice of antibiotic self-medication in a household; did not agree that one can recover from the illness without a doctor's prescription and medical workers who did not explain adequately the antibiotics medication given for the illness decreased internet-enabled antibiotic self-medication. Conclusion: This study found that internet-enabled antibiotic self-medication practice is highly utilized and is associated with a variety of individual, household, and healthcare system factors. This necessitates strict adherence to national drug policy regulations governing antibiotic use. Furthermore, community health education is critical in combating such medication practices.

Japanese Consumers' Attitudes towards Obtaining and Sharing Health Information Regarding Over-the-Counter Medication: Designing an Over-the-Counter Electronic Health Record.

Designing an over-the-counter medication electronic health record (OTC-EHR) may help improve OTC usage. An online survey for the conceptual OTC-EHR design examined participant characteristics, attitudes towards obtaining user-shared OTC medication information, health-related application usage, and the inclination to share anonymized health information. Descriptive statistics, tests to assess statistical significance, and text mining were used to analyze the results. The findings revealed that Japanese consumers, particularly those with high eHealth literacy and women, possess relatively positive attitudes towards obtaining user-shared OTC medication information than those with low eHealth literacy (t (280.71) = -4.11, p < 0.001) and men (t (262.26) = -2.78, p = 0.006), respectively. Most consumers own smartphones but do not use health-related applications. A minority held positive attitudes about sharing anonymized health information. The perceived helpfulness of OTC-EHR was positively associated with the usage of health-related applications (χ2 (4) = 18.35, p = 0.001) and attitude towards sharing anonymized health information (χ2 (3) = 19.78, p < 0.001). The study findings contribute towards OTC-EHR's design to enhance consumers' self-medication and reduce risks, while the psychological barriers to sharing anonymized health information should be improved by increasing the OTC-EHR's penetration rate and engaging in appropriate information design.

Psychological effects on self-medication during the pandemic COVID-19 in WP Labuan: A development of questionnaire and pilot-testing.

Introduction: Self-Medication, which is a practice to self-treat using medicine without consulting a medical practitioner or a doctor, is a common practice and the Pandemic Covid-19 may have caused people to resort to self-medication in order to reduce the infectivity of the Covid-19. Objective: To validate and develop an instrument in Bahasa Melayu to assess the psychological distress and self-medication during pandemic Covid-19 in WP Labuan. Methods: A pilot study was conducted among 160 participants in WP Labuan. Reliability testing on internal consistency and content validity was performed on the adapted Covid-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI) as well as domain on knowledge, practice and attitude of self-medication. Result: A panel of seven experts evaluated the research instrument for content validity and it was found to have good content item validity. The CPDI domain showed good internal consistency of Cronbach's Alpha of 0.919. The mean (SD) CPDI score of the respondents in WP Labuan was 32.55 (15.98). 64.2% of the respondents experienced psychological distress. The variable for Area (town/countryside) was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) to be associated with self-medication during the pandemic. Conclusion: The instrument established sound reliability and validity and therefore, can be an effective tool for assessing psychological distress and self-medication in the Malaysian population.

Assessment of the treating physicians' first-hand experience with handling and satisfaction of ofatumumab therapy: findings from the PERITIA survey conducted in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Real-world evidence on experience and satisfaction of ofatumumab as a treatment option for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is limited. OBJECTIVE: To present cumulative responses from a questionnaire related to first-hand experience of treating physicians on handling and convenience of ofatumumab therapy along with concerns related to COVID-19. METHODS: PERITIA was a multicentre survey conducted to collect responses from the ASCLEPIOS I/II trial investigators from Europe via an online questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-six physicians (Germany, n = 14; Spain, n = 12; Portugal, n = 10; Italy, n = 10) completed the survey. Overall, 43% of the physicians considered the benefit-risk ratio of ofatumumab as very good. Over 93% were in favour of ofatumumab self-administration at home and the majority (83%) believed it to be completely true that self-administration of ofatumumab eases the burden for patients in terms of time. All investigators would like to potentially use anti-CD20 therapy as a long-term strategy. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians were in favour of a self-administration of MS therapy at home over other anti-CD20 therapy infusions. CONCLUSION: European neurologists who were part of this survey considered the benefit-risk-ratio of ofatumumab as favourable and the monthly self-administered subcutaneous injections offering convenience for patients in the clinical practice.

Phytomedicines for Covid-19: Opportunities and Obstacles

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger respiratory tract infection. Due to its tendency to affect the upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs), this disease is life-threatening and affects a large number of populations. This virus's unique and complex nature enhances the scope to look into the direction of herbal plants and their constituents for its prevention and treatment. The herbal remedies can have preventive as well as therapeutic actions. This review focuses on various aspects of using herbal medicines for COVID-19, as herbal constituents may also have adverse effects. Various studies revealed that some medicinal plants show life-threatening adverse effects, so selecting plants, and their related studies should be appropriate and strategic. This article includes various factors that should be considered before herbal drug use in COVID-19 patients. These are clinical trials, safety, molecular mechanism, and self-medication, which have been elaborated. This article also discusses the targets of covid-19 and different coronavirus strains. As before, treatment diagnosis of the disease is very important. Various patents have been filed and granted for its proper diagnosis so that its treatment can be easy.Copyright © 2022 Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. All rights reserved.

Generic drugs use during the COVID-19 pandemic among Lebanese patients using psychotropics: An opportunity for generic drug promotion

Introduction: The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed several challenges leading to the shortage of medications due to the disruption of their supply chains. Among others, patients using psychotropics encountered difficulties finding their medication despite the efforts of investing in local production. Encouraging patients to use generic drugs can be an effective strategy to ensure sustainable access to medication. Objective(s): This study aimed to describe the consumption of psychotropic medications during the COVID-19 pandemic and the willingness together with the reasons for using generic drugs. It also assessed the association between generic drugs and the general characteristics of the patients. Design(s): A cross-sectional study was performed over a period of 4 months (July-October 2021) targeting 128 patients using psychotropic drugs. Result(s): The sample included more women than men with a mean age of 38 years. Antidepressants were the psychotropic medications mostly consumed followed by anti-anxiety medications. Almost 13% of the patients started using psychotropics either through self-prescription or a friend's advice and 73.4% used generic drugs. Fear of dependence, unavailability of the brand drug, and pharmacist's recommendation were the main reported reasons for using generic drugs. Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, the consumption of psychotropics increased due to new prescriptions and self-medication. No differences were noted between using generics and the characteristics of the patients in contrast to previous studies which support the implementation of generic prescription and substitution policies.Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.