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Experts warn of a growing misuse of pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical experts expressed concern about patients' increasing misuse of drugs at a forum held yesterday by the Foundation of Poison Control. Worries have mounted after new health insurance regulations were passed that increase patients' share of drug costs, and are expected to lead to more patients purchasing medication on their own from pharmacists.

Wang Ch'un-yu (王春玉) the head of the pharmacy department at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital said, "some basic things that people should check before taking medication include the name on the prescription packet, whether the medication in the packet corresponds to the label, and how the medication should be stored."

Wang made the remarks at a seminar hosted by the foundation for poison control, which invited medical experts in the field to talk about medicinal drug use.

Wang specified that important information about medication can be found written and boxed in red on product packets and emphasized that if patients have concerns about side effects or other questions regarding drug usage, they shouldn't hesitate to consult a doctor.

"Patients should be able to exercise their right to know what they are taking," Wang said.

Chang Po-yan (張博彥), vice chair of the Taipei County Pharmacists' Association, outlined the differences between over-the-counter medication and prescription medication, saying that the latter needed to be authorized by a doctor.

Chang emphasized that special care should be taken when using over-the-counter medication. Chang said, "You should be clear about the symptoms and describe them to the pharmacist in detail, especially when you are purchasing medication for others."
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