A SURVEY FOR ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT OTC DRUGS AMONG COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS IN SOUTHERN PART OF KERALA

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs that can be sold without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner to the consumer. In India, over-the-counter medicines include analgesics, nutrients, cough and cold medications, and Ayurveda preparations. The unregulated or unrestricted availability of OTC drugs in the market increases the risks of drug resistance, adverse drug reactions, and drug interactions. OTC medicines are often used for self-medication by students for conditions such as fever, pain, and colds. Awareness regarding OTC drugs can lead to better medical practices and prevent any untoward medical occurrences. This paper assesses the knowledge of community pharmacists regarding over-the-counter medications in the southern part of Kerala. A pre- validated questionnaire was used after obtaining informed consent. Analysis was conducted using MS Excel. Analgesics, antipyretics, and anti allergic drugs were the most commonly used OTC drugs for coughs, common colds, and fevers by the people. Most of the community pharmacists were aware of over-the-counter medicines, but their knowledge regarding OTC medications was found to be poor. The present study indicates that the use of over-the-counter drugs is widespread; therefore, it is necessary to create awareness and educate people regarding the advantages and disadvantages of self-medication. Hence, our study underscores the need for conducting survey-based studies with the objective of evaluating the knowledge of community pharmacists.

KeyWords: Knowledge, Survey, Over the counter medicines, Self-medication, Adverse drug reaction.