Status of over the counter buying and selling of antibiotics in Kathmandu Valley

Abstract

Self-medication and irrational antibiotic prescribing are major factors in emergence of antibiotic resistance. This study finds incidences of self-medications in Kathmandu city. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted within duration of October to November 2012. First the checklist was prepared and information was collected from 25 pharmacies. Amoxicillin was found to be mostly used antibiotics. The study found that there is price differences among the antibiotics produced by National and Multinational Pharmaceuticals. These differences in the cost were not noticed by the public as well as the authorized levels. It showed that 56% of patients used antibiotics without prescription. The cost of medical consultation and low satisfaction with medical practitioners are related to self-medication. Though 92% of the respondents have bought full dose of antibiotics, 36% of the respondents have withdrawn to use antibiotics before the expected duration. People think that if the illness is recovered sooner than there is no need to continue medicine. The importance of completing the full course of antibiotics and taking the correct dose at the stated times, must be emphasized by the doctor prescribing the antibiotics and the pharmacist who dispenses them. Thus, unnecessary self-medication with antibiotics seems to be common in Kathmandu.