Know Your Medicine -KYM

Cod Liver Oil Capsules - Courtesy Wikipedia

Are you taking any medicine? Stop ! Know Your Medicine -KYM ! Take it. Medicines are manufactured to be taken by patients. Some medicines are available on the counter without any prescription by a qualified doctor and other medicines are available with the chemists and drug stores to be sold on prescription of a qualified doctor. List of medicines available over the counter or OTC differs from country to country. In India there is list of Schedule H drugs, as prescribed under Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which can neither be sold by chemists over the counter not these can be purchased over the counter. Just check medicines under brand name Crocin or Dolo-650 having paracetamol as the only salt or Evion 400, Vitamin E capsules on which you will not find any statutory warning like "To be sold by retail on the prescription of Registered Medical Practitioner only". But as a chemist or patient have you noticed such warnings. If at all chemists follow the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, then can it be possible for the chemists to know all the doctors or medical practitioners across the globe without any tool to Know Your Doctor - KYD. Patients are neither aware of the medicines, know allergies and side effects of the medicines, which can be explained by your doctor alone. Patients are advised neither to medicate themselves nor take the medicines, available over the counter, for a prolonged period as no medicine is without side effects. The patients should avoid frequent use of even Pain Killers, Anti allergic  medicines. In addition to the above the patients must check the following before consuming any medicine even on the prescription of a qualified doctor :

1. Expiry date of the medicine as expired medicines can have life threatening consequence.
2. Discoloring of medicines due to improper up keep as medicines may get spoiled in humid and very hot environments.
3. Keep the medicines out of reach of children.
4. Never exceed the prescribed dosage 
5. Insist for Cash Memo or bill for the medicines to be purchased as it will discourage your chemist to sell spurious drugs, duplicate drugs.
6. Check for any foreign particles, fungi in the liquid medicines or drips.
7. Check for any authentication code supplied by the manufacturer on the medicine and verify medicine.
8. Taking medicine before or after meals is very important and seek clear instructions from your doctor.
9. It is always advisable to take the medicine with fresh filtered, germ free and purified water but if doctor has advised it to be taken with milk or otherwise, follow your doctor religiously.
10. Irregular use of some medicines can make the body drug resistant as in case of TB drugs. Patients must take the full course of medicines as advised by the doctor.

If still in doubt know about five right steps to followed while taking medicines. Know these 5R or 5 Rights.

Know Your Series by........WQAINDIA