Authors :
AKSHITA.B.N; SNEGA.K
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 2 - February
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/3YiPcz0
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7625462
Abstract :
Self-Medication in India has always been an
issue and with the COVID-19 spread self-medication of
antibiotics, immune boosters and vitamins among the
laymen have also increased. This drastic increase has led
to buying medications without a prescription (over the
counter medication). Consumption of medication
without a prescription leads to adverse consequences
such as antimicrobial resistance. Economic conditions in
India encourage the increase of inappropriate medicine
consumption. The number of pharmacists prescribing
medication to the patient like a doctor has increased as
some of the patients do not have sufficient money to
approach a doctor and have minimal money to buy their
medication therefore this void act occurs. Neither a
registered pharmacist nor an unregistered pharmacist
can suggest medication to a patient under the Pharmacy
Act, 1948. Convenient sampling method is used to collect
the samples. 226 samples-sample size. Independent
variables are age, gender, education, place of residence
and marital status. It is found that there is an immediate
need for amending the Pharmacy Act, 1948 as it does not
prevent pharmacists from prescribing over the counter
medications. Finally, this paper analyses, suggests and
concludes that India can also consider establishing an act
for protecting patients from pharmacists like Canada
and Texas which have particular laws to protect its
citizens from such mishaps and have proper methods to
govern over the counter medicines.
Keywords :
India, Self-Medication, Misuse, Over the Counter Medication, Pharmaceutical.
Self-Medication in India has always been an
issue and with the COVID-19 spread self-medication of
antibiotics, immune boosters and vitamins among the
laymen have also increased. This drastic increase has led
to buying medications without a prescription (over the
counter medication). Consumption of medication
without a prescription leads to adverse consequences
such as antimicrobial resistance. Economic conditions in
India encourage the increase of inappropriate medicine
consumption. The number of pharmacists prescribing
medication to the patient like a doctor has increased as
some of the patients do not have sufficient money to
approach a doctor and have minimal money to buy their
medication therefore this void act occurs. Neither a
registered pharmacist nor an unregistered pharmacist
can suggest medication to a patient under the Pharmacy
Act, 1948. Convenient sampling method is used to collect
the samples. 226 samples-sample size. Independent
variables are age, gender, education, place of residence
and marital status. It is found that there is an immediate
need for amending the Pharmacy Act, 1948 as it does not
prevent pharmacists from prescribing over the counter
medications. Finally, this paper analyses, suggests and
concludes that India can also consider establishing an act
for protecting patients from pharmacists like Canada
and Texas which have particular laws to protect its
citizens from such mishaps and have proper methods to
govern over the counter medicines.
Keywords :
India, Self-Medication, Misuse, Over the Counter Medication, Pharmaceutical.