Rational Use of Medicines
Background
The irrational use of medicines is a major problem worldwide. WHO (2004) estimates that more than half of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, and that half of all patients fail to take them correctly. The over-use, under-use or misuse of medicines results in wastage of scarce resources and widespread health hazards.
Some examples of the irrational use of medicines are,
- the use of too many medicines per patient (poly-pharmacy)
- the inappropriate use of antimicrobials/antibiotics, often in inadequate dosage and for non-bacterial infections
- the over-use of injections when oral formulations would be more suitable
- failure to prescribe in accordance with clinical guidelines
- inappropriate self-medication, often of prescription-only medicines
- the non-adherence to dosing regimes
Often, the irrational use of medicines is the outcome of inappropriate promotion and advertising by pharmaceutical companies. In addition, irrational use is costly to both consumers and governments. It is also extremely harmful to human beings as a whole.
Activities for HAIAP (2007-2010) consists of 2 parts:
2.1 National policies founded on the rational use of medicines (RUM) principles -
- Monitor and evaluate how medicines are being authorised, prescribed and their use assessed.
- Identify harmful medicines and initiate campaigns to remove them from the market.
- Publish a book entitled ‘Where There Is No Pharmacist’ as the centrepiece of public awareness-raising work.
Ongoing Projects:
Project ERDU (Educators for Rational Drug Use)
Project Banned Drugs
Project Pharmacovigilance
Project NDPA (National Drug Policy Advocacy)
Project WTANP (Where There Are No Pharmacists)
Project IFDCs (Irrational Fixed-Dose Combinations)
Past Projects:
Impact of STGs and Patient Education on Quality of Asthma Management
2.2 Unethical and inappropriate drug promotion curbed -
- Expose and oppose promotional practices targeted at both prescribers and consumers that lead to irrational medicines’ use.
Ongoing Projects:
Related News:
‘Quality of Pharmaceutical Advertisements in Medical Journals’ in Journal Scan for HAI News #150
‘Citizen Vigilance in Medicines Quality’ in Journal Scan for HAI News #150
HAIAP member group CDMU-West Bengal reports on a ‘Pilot Project on Food & Drug Safety’ in HAI News # 149
HAI Africa reports on the Kenyan Anti-Counterfeit Bill of 2008 in HAI News #148
