Thirty per cent of the world's population lacks access to essential medicines according to the World Health Organisation. In some Asian and African countries, the same number is as high as 50 per cent. But the problem cannot be solved by supplying bogus medicines. In September 2008, the Government authorities in Belgium seized more than two million counterfeit pain killers and other malaria drugs that had been manufactured in India and were en route to Africa. The incidence puts light on the most pressing problems in delivering life saving medicines to the world's poorest patients. The proliferation of poor quality and counterfeit products, many of which are extremely dangerous. The aiding organizations must take it serious about combating the spread of deadly diseases in the developing world and more cautious to ensure the quality of drugs for the at most safety of the patients.
According to ASSOCHAM the spurious drugs market is growing at 25% annually and has captivated 20-25% of the total market share. India has emerged as the leading distributor of counterfeit drugs and peaked a share of 75% in the total fake supplied all over the world. However, health ministry meagerly estimates the same as only 5% of the drugs are spurious distinguish it from the genuine drugs through the naked eye.
DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF SPURIOUS DRUGS: Among the spurious drugs commonly found in the Indian market are fake Insulin, which may be blindly taken by an unsuspecting diabetic, fake chemotherapy that may be administered to a final stage cancer patient, use of chalk powder instead of paracetemol in pain killers, use of just coloured tap water instead of cough syrups. Fake medicines like anti malaria not only fail to cure, but over a time create resistance in the malarial parasite with disastrous consequences for the patients. Other type of spurious drugs are contaminated, containing substances seriously injurious to health, such as contaminated intravenous drips and eye drops those are suppose to cure, but instead cure blindness.
AWARENESS TIPS TO ENSURE GETTING GENUINE DRUGS: Always go to a safe reputed chemist/drug store. Pay your attention to packaging and labeling. To distinguish from poor fake drugs, reputed drugs manufacturers such as 'Glaxo Smith Kline consumer Health Care, Enosses and Piramal Health Care etc. have come out with 3D holograms as sign of authenticity, so as to protect the interest of the health concerns consumers. Where ever such 3D holograms markings brands available, verify for them. Recognise your medications such as the size, shape, colour, markings. Prints engravings, taste side effects etc. Insist on receiving a cash receipt, retain it till medicine lasts. All most all of us know that eh medicines work only in patients who take them. But aware few of us only know that medicines works at their best who take them as per the physicians advice perfectly. Many people do various mistakes because of ignorance, negligence, or with smartness, which will prove dangerous to the patient even after visiting doctors and taking costly medicines, without improving the condition, push them in to risks and dangers.
AWARENESS TIPS IN CONSUMING DRUGS: Caution in changing the brand of medicine. Your Doctor may prescribe an antibiotic manufactured by a reputed branded pharmaceutical company, may be of expensive. At drug stores you may choose the same formula antibiotic, but manufactured by another company, because of your justified economic reasons. Medicines marketed by some companies may be inferior in quality and when changing brands, you may buy medicines those do not work. So, if you have really concern on your purse express the same thing to your Doctor wisely and ask for an alternative inexpensive, still trust worthy brand. Another important thing to note is, patients stabilized on long term treatment, such as those with epilepsy should not change the brands, because the bioavailability of different brands may differ.
IMPORTANCE OF TIME TO TAKE MEDICINE: The best time to take any medicine for optimum results are as advised by you doctor. Some medicines to be taken in the mornings which will act the course of the day, some to be taken at night, to dissipate adverse effects during sleep, some to be taken on empty stomach so as the food doesn't come in the way of their absorption, some with food so that food nullified their adverse effects, some to be taken some time, every day to ensure their uniform blood level. Some before food like diabetic tablets / Insulin etc. It is always beneficial to strictly follow the doctor's advised timings for optimum results. In case if doctor's advised timings are not possible to follow under any specific condition ask your doctor for guidance for any flexible timings to suit your requirements.
REDUCING THE DOSE OF MEDICINES: Some patients may themselves take voluntarily lower doses of medicine, than prescribed by doctor, without consulting him. That may be because of cut down their expenditure, or to reduce medicines adverse effects or they think they are almost cured, or particular medicine not available, or cash not in hand so on. This is a great blunder, may prove serious, because some medicines may not work at all if he does is below a certain quantity.
MISSING DOSES ACCIDENTALLY: Some times accidentally or under unavoidable circumstances you may miss your does of medicine. But most of the medicines in general may not affect the process effect, where as certain illnesses, like epilepsy - where even a single missing dose can result in to dangerous consequences.
INTENTIONALLY MISSING DOSES: Some patients some time deliberately skip their dose because of various reasons such as negligence, believing that if they skip one or two dose, nothing is going to happen, because of attending important work, programme, movie, watching TV, hearing shocking news etc. But remember one thing whether all these excuses are going to harm home? Finally who is going to suffer the consequences?
COMPENSATING MISSED DOSE WITH EXTRA DOSE: Always see that your dose is not missed at all. Taking an extra dose to make up for the missed dose some times is advisable and some time it is not, as two doses at a time may raise the blood levels of the drug beyond safe level. If you are on long term medications of a particular drug ask your doctor, what to do in case you missed such dose.
STOPPING MEDICINES ON IMPROVEMENT: Some patients stop taking medicines on improvement of their health condition, or even symptoms, for reasons well known only to them. This can prove disastrous, because medicines may be necessary to effect the improvement for certain time, even you have recovered. Check with your doctor that how long you need to take medicine and why?
SKIPPING MEDICINES ON FASTING: Few religious minded, regularly fast practicing patients, some patients on religious occasions, skip their food and hence also medicinal dose. Health is at most important and rest only are next. Think twice personally what you are doing is finally going to harm whom? Consult your doctor while on medication. Your fastings and consequently skipping medicines how far safer or leads to sufferings.
AVOID ADIVCES BY OTHERS: Advises are the things abundantly voluntarily all will give, with various supporting reasons and instances, to take such medicine, to avoid this medicine, because that one is very strong, this one worked on Me etc. or some home remedy is handy and economical. Remember one thing, it is you only one body and some thing goes wrong, at times couldn't be revered. Your body is not to exercise experiments by others. Always better to contact a qualified doctor and follow his advises and prescription, not to waste time and make the disease further serious.
KEEPING YOUR STOCK OF MEDICINES: Always see that your medicines are in stock until you see your doctor next time, or before you buy next lot. Some time you may not be able to get fresh supplies of your brands, or because of various strikes riots etc, an interruption of one or two days, which may cause break in your treatment. This could prove a serious concern in certain illness. Always ensure that you have at least one week's supply in your hand, before purchasing next stock of your medicines.
ALWAYS CARRY A DAYS MEDICINE WITH YOU: Many times situations to arise to every body that suddenly you may not be able to return home and was forced to visit some place or held up at some place. To over some such circumstances, it is advisable always to carry at least one days medicine on your person.
KEEP A COPY OF DOCTORS PRESCRIPTION WITH YOU: While you are on away from home, on tour to other place, it is always advisable to keep a copy of your doctors prescription with you, as you carried medicines may exhaust, or misplaced in journey. You may not be remembering your exact names of medicines or your family members may not trace out it or unable to convey exactly the contents. Even if you have noted medicines, in the other city if they are available, for alternatives you don't have your doctor's number. For all this multiple problems single simple solution is carry a photocopy of the prescription.
MISSING NEXT APPOINTMENT: Some times for some patients prescription may need to be changed on a time bound basis as per the treatment plan. In such cases if you miss such important appointment, you may be taking wrong dose or some time it may prove even wrong medicine.
SWITCHING DOCTOR OCCASSIONALLY: Each case is a separate case and each one has got a separate treatment course. Few diseases are curable in short span and few chronic ones need a long time, need different courses of treatment. Doctors work on their specific result oriented plan. If you are in hurry, without knowing the in-depth case history of the disease and suddenly change the Doctor, his efforts, your time, money, patience all are wasted. To impress you second Doctor may even need to change the medicines only to impress you. And again starts from the start, instead tell the facts of your opinion your Doctor, he will explain you why the results are slow. Do not change the Doctor unless you have solid reasons to be dissatisfied, but not arbitrarily.
Remember platinum principle. Awareness is the only un detachable solely dependable your mobile wealth, nothing can equals it. All patients remember and follow the above referred awareness tips and every one enjoys sound health.
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