Abuse of antibiotics is rampant, say researchers

* Published: 6/09/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Bangkok Post

Thai people are overusing antibiotics, a trend that could lead to an increase in drug resistance and disease transmission, warn pharmaceutical researchers.

A study by clinics at Mahidol University's tropical medicine faculty, Khon Kaen University's department of medicine and Prince of Songkla University's pharmaceutical sciences faculty found that 42% of patients misuse prescription drugs, particularly antibiotics. Results of the study were included in an annual report on the national drug system.

The report focused on seven factors: good governance, self-reliance on medical products, safety, equity, quality, accessibility and affordability, and rational use.

The main problem identified in the report was doctors over-prescribing medications.

Nitima Soompradit, a pharmacist with the Food and Drug Administration, said a pilot campaign to promote the rational use of antibiotics was carried out at 10 community hospitals and 87 publicly run village clinics in Saraburi.

The project worked with a sample of 100 patients and helped reduce the number of antibiotic prescriptions given to patients with respiratory problems, diarrhoea and general wounds from 58 to 21. Their symptoms improved without the antibiotics.

More than 1.2 million baht that would otherwise have been spent at these facilities on antibiotics was also saved, Ms Nitima said.

Thailand spends more on antibiotics than any other type of medicine. Most are prescribed unnecessarily or taken improperly, which has had negative side effects, including increasing drug resistance.

The report found that 54% of patients taking antibiotics experience side effects. Improper use of antibiotics could also lead to drug resistance, which in turn could increase the rate of disease particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and patients with diabetes.

A recent survey on drug use among 700 patients with recurring health complaints in Bangkok showed that they spent about 1,000 baht a month on medications. Some had as much as 70,000 baht in unused medications stockpiled at home, said Sirirat Tanpichart, a member of the Association of Community Pharmacists (Thailand).

These figures reflect problems in the national drug distribution system and patients' lack of knowledge about appropriate medication use, she said.

Niyada Kiatyingungsulee, manager of the Drug System Monitoring and Development Programme under the faculty of pharmacology at Chulalongkorn University, said Thailand's over-reliance on imported medications was reaching a crisis point.

Over 75% of drugs distributed nationwide were imported.

Of the remaining 25% that are produced locally, up to 90% of the ingredients used have to be imported, according to a Food and Drug Administration report.

On the whole, Thais tend to buy fewer drugs since the universal healthcare scheme was introduced. However, access to free medication has led to an increase in their misuse, said deputy permanent secretary for public health Siriwat Tiptaradol.

He said the ministry and relevant agencies must seek a solution to the weaknesses in the drug system to promote good governance.say researchers

* Published: 6/09/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Bangkok Post

Thai people are overusing antibiotics, a trend that could lead to an increase in drug resistance and disease transmission, warn pharmaceutical researchers.

A study by clinics at Mahidol University's tropical medicine faculty, Khon Kaen University's department of medicine and Prince of Songkla University's pharmaceutical sciences faculty found that 42% of patients misuse prescription drugs, particularly antibiotics. Results of the study were included in an annual report on the national drug system.

The report focused on seven factors: good governance, self-reliance on medical products, safety, equity, quality, accessibility and affordability, and rational use.

The main problem identified in the report was doctors over-prescribing medications.

Nitima Soompradit, a pharmacist with the Food and Drug Administration, said a pilot campaign to promote the rational use of antibiotics was carried out at 10 community hospitals and 87 publicly run village clinics in Saraburi.

The project worked with a sample of 100 patients and helped reduce the number of antibiotic prescriptions given to patients with respiratory problems, diarrhoea and general wounds from 58 to 21. Their symptoms improved without the antibiotics.

More than 1.2 million baht that would otherwise have been spent at these facilities on antibiotics was also saved, Ms Nitima said.

Thailand spends more on antibiotics than any other type of medicine. Most are prescribed unnecessarily or taken improperly, which has had negative side effects, including increasing drug resistance.

The report found that 54% of patients taking antibiotics experience side effects. Improper use of antibiotics could also lead to drug resistance, which in turn could increase the rate of disease particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and patients with diabetes.

A recent survey on drug use among 700 patients with recurring health complaints in Bangkok showed that they spent about 1,000 baht a month on medications. Some had as much as 70,000 baht in unused medications stockpiled at home, said Sirirat Tanpichart, a member of the Association of Community Pharmacists (Thailand).

These figures reflect problems in the national drug distribution system and patients' lack of knowledge about appropriate medication use, she said.

Niyada Kiatyingungsulee, manager of the Drug System Monitoring and Development Programme under the faculty of pharmacology at Chulalongkorn University, said Thailand's over-reliance on imported medications was reaching a crisis point.

Over 75% of drugs distributed nationwide were imported.

Of the remaining 25% that are produced locally, up to 90% of the ingredients used have to be imported, according to a Food and Drug Administration report.

On the whole, Thais tend to buy fewer drugs since the universal healthcare scheme was introduced. However, access to free medication has led to an increase in their misuse, said deputy permanent secretary for public health Siriwat Tiptaradol.

He said the ministry and relevant agencies must seek a solution to the weaknesses in the drug system to promote good governance.