Savvy Singaporeans are self-medicating. There are many people who prefer to self-medicate for common and small ailments rather than consult a doctor as buying medications straight from a pharmacy is cheaper than consulting a doctor. Moreover, many feel that doctors generally provide the same kinds of medicine for common cold and cough. Hence, there is no need to pay extra money to see a doctor when those medicines are readily available at the pharmacy. However, people are not able to buy more drugs which used to be prescription-only drugs, over the counter. As quoted from Ms Quek Zhi Yuan, a pharmacist at the National University Hospital, “down-regulation is strictly regulated by the Health Sciences Authority”.

Self-medication may be part of a trend as people are more educated and drugs are more accessible. However, doctors warn of possible risks in doing so. Medical professions noted that there are pros and cons to people taking matters into their own hands. Although responsible self-medication helps to move patients towards greater independence in making decisions about management of minor conditions and symptoms, misdiagnosis and taking wrong medication can cause possible dangers. Sometimes, patient take the right medication, but at the wrong dosage and timing. They may also mix medications in dangerous combinations unknowingly.

For example, mixing paracetamol with muscle relaxants, which already has paracetamol, can cause the risk of overdose. Cardiac patients who are on blood thinners should be careful about taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs, as it can increase the risk of bleeding. One should also take caution when mixing medicine, especially when taking western medicine together with complementary medicine as it may cause potentially dangerous side effects. In addition, self-medication might also mask a more serious illness by treating the symptoms but not the underlying cause. Very often, persistent symptoms may be a signal for something more serious, which may go undetected when people self-medicate.

They can prevent this by asking reliable healthcare professions, such as pharmacist or doctor about the drugs they are consuming. This is to confirm that self-medication is suitable for the particular condition, and helps to ensure that they have adequate knowledge regarding the drug’s dosing and administration.

In this aspect, pharmacists can play an important role. They are a link between patients and their doctors. They help patients to understand the role of medications in treating their conditions, and ensure that the patients are having effective treatment plans. Pharmacy Practice in Singapore has evolved from being drug-oriented to patient-oriented. Equipped with their immense drug knowledge, many pharmacists are reaching out to the communities and taking up the role to counsel patients on their drug treatment. For people who would like to self-medicate but are unsure of what type of medications to take, consulting a pharmacist is very convenient, as pharmacists are found in at retail pharmacies which are highly accessible. Some pharmacies even have webcam services to talk to a pharmacist from another outlet if the pharmacist is not available in a particular outlet. In this way, pharmacies are providing a more effective way to serve patients.

————

Review by Tan Yu Quan (Year 1)

Article Source: The Sunday Times, Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010.
(An online copy of the article can be found here)

Picture Credits:
Neel’s Corner
Unity Pharmacy