Internet survey knocks self medication warning

Recently, the China Self-medication Association initiated a self-medication campaign for the first time to publish the report “Cognitive Network of Analgesic Over-the-counter Drugs in China”. The report shows that two major issues make the experts very worried. First, half of consumers do not know that they must choose over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) for their own drugs; second, there are quite a few consumers who confuse prescription drugs such as pain relief tablets with non-prescription drugs.

Experts advise: self-pharmacy preferred OTC

Survey shows that nearly 70% of consumers choose to go to pharmacies to buy medicines when they experience mild physical discomfort. However, nearly half of consumers do not know the OTC logo when purchasing their own medicine. According to Bai Huiliang, president of the Chinese Non-prescription Drug Association, OTC is an abbreviation for Over The Counter, which means "drugs that can be bought on the counter." In our country, its name is called over-the-counter medicine, which refers to medicines that can be purchased and taken without a doctor's prescription, and generally have the characteristics of safe application, stable quality, and definite curative effect.

To painkillers need to prescribe, OTC also has painkillers The survey also shows that about 70% of families in China self-medication is not appropriate, the incidence of irrational use of drugs was 12% -32%. More than 40.55% of consumers think that painkillers are non-prescription drugs. Professor Sun Zhongshi, an expert on monitoring the rational use of drugs by the Ministry of Health, said that pain relief tablets are prescription drugs and must be used according to doctor's orders. Long-term abuse of pain relief tablets can cause kidney failure and damage the bone marrow hematopoietic system. Prof Sun stressed that he must choose over-the-counter drugs with the OTC logo for himself. Non-prescription drugs have a higher safety factor than prescription drugs. For example, Finbitide is safer than analgesic tablets.

For the first time, the Chinese Non-prescription Drug Association put forward the principle of self-medication: The first is to identify the OTC logo; the second is to use the prescription according to the instructions; and the third is to purchase the product in a timely manner and promptly clear the medicine container to avoid overdue.