Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF PATIENTS ON OTC DRUGS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

R. Sivasakthi* and Dr. N. Sunil M.D.

ABSTRACT

Over the counter drugs means the drug sold over the counter without any medical prescription of a registered medical practioner. Prescription drugs are classified as two schedules of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules-1945 like Schedule-H and Schedule-X. The ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India published a notification in 2012 to incorporate a separate schedule H1 under Drugs and Cosmetic Rules-1945 for regulating sale of Antibiotics, certain Anti-TB drugs and habit forming drugs to decrease the irrational use of OTC drugs. The unsupervised OTC-drugs use leads to adverse effects and medication misuse. Patient self medication also generate drug interactions. A questionnaire based study was conducted among 100 patients. In which, 56% participants was knowledge about what is OTC drug and 52% know which drugs fall under OTC drugs. Most common conditions for self-medication were Fever 24%, body pain 40%, cold & cough 20% followed by anti-inflammatory 10% were the most commonly used OTC-drugs. 60% patients experienced adverse reaction and it was found skin rash in 32%. Most of the patient taken OTC by the advice of Community pharmacist. Hence, the study concludes that patient knowledge and perception of OTC drugs were poor. The community pharmacist get continuous education and training programme for guiding and educating the patients towards promoting the safe use of drugs.

Keywords: prescription, self-medication, OTC drugs, awareness.