Drugs are chemicals substances prepared after a long synthetic pathway in research and development department of pharmaceutical industries by the scientists. When drugs are administered inside human body, they are treated as foreign substances and our body try to fight with them, therefore, if medicines are not used with care they can do more harm than good. Hence, drugs need to be of good quality, safety and efficacy. Medicines have confined not only therapeutic benefits but also number of harmful effects to the mankind. The pharmacist is now no longer merely a supplier of medicines and a concocter of medicinal products. In the present scenario, the pharmacist is a coordination centre between different members of healthcare team and the patients. Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use. Abuse of medicines is a serious global issue. Pharmacist can play a key role in preventing drug abuse by providing clear information and advices about the adverse effects of medications. Drug abuse may arise due to one of the following reasons such as medication error that comprises wrong diagnosis, inappropriate drug selection and wrong dose schedule, situations where indications are not specified, unwarranted prophylactic use, drug interaction, drug-nutrient/food interactions,
self medication with OTC/prescription drugs, and lack of facilities in rural or poor areas.
Misuse of amphetamines, tranquilizers, diazepam, alprazolam, cough syrups, and body supplements etc. are found to be more common among drug addicts. Hence, these drugs find their way into the illicit drug market over the world. Pharmacists have been chosen as key persons against drug abuse in USA because of their qualification, education, knowledge, accessibility and trustworthiness. A national programme known as “Pharmacist against drug abuse” was launched in 1982 in United States of America. However, in India, pharmacy education systems have yet to recognise the potential and role of pharmacists in public health sector. Pharmacy students should be made more patients oriented and well acquainted to act as a role model in preventing medicine abuse. Hence, it is the prime responsibility of a community pharmacist to take an active role in helping the drug abusers to avoid abuse of drugs.
Pharmacist can also play an integral role in instructing drug abuse counselor and other health care professionals about pharmacology, mechanism of action of abused substances used to treat disorders. Summarizing the whole article in one sentence, there are wide range of drugs and healthcare products that need to be properly stored and distributed by well qualified Healthcare professionals so that they can be used appropriately and within the limit by a patient.
Dr. Harish Kumar,
M.Pharm, PhD, Scientist
09541951711
harisharora5@gmail.com
