Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Counterfeit Drugs Among Medical Postgraduate Students at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Counterfeit drugs are deliberately and fraudulently mislabelled pharmaceutical products that may contain incorrect, insufficient, or no active ingredients. These medicines pose a serious threat to patient safety, contribute to therapeutic failure, antimicrobial resistance, and economic burden, and undermine public confidence in healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals, particularly medical postgraduate students, play an important role in identifying and preventing counterfeit medicines.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding counterfeit drugs among medical postgraduate students at a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 80 medical postgraduate students at Melmaruvathur Adhiparasakthi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research over a period of three months. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a predesigned and validated self-administered questionnaire consisting of 21 items distributed across knowledge, attitude, and practice domains. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS version 29.0. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used for analysis.

Results: Most participants demonstrated adequate knowledge regarding counterfeit drugs. Seventy percent correctly identified counterfeit medicines, while the majority recognized their harmful effects, including treatment failure and toxicity. A positive attitude toward prevention of counterfeit medicines was observed among participants, with most agreeing that counterfeit drugs represent a serious public health threat and emphasizing the importance of training healthcare professionals. However, practical implementation was comparatively limited, as only a small proportion had reported suspected counterfeit drugs despite good theoretical awareness. The use of digital verification tools and patient counselling practices showed moderate acceptance among participants. Overall, knowledge and attitude scores were better than practice scores.

Conclusion: Medical postgraduate students demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and positive attitudes regarding counterfeit drugs; however, gaps in reporting practices and practical identification skills were identified. Regular educational programs, training workshops, pharmacovigilance sensitization, and strengthened regulatory measures are necessary to improve practical competencies and enhance counterfeit drug prevention strategies