Using Medicines Wisely

1
Using Medicines Wisely

• Intro to medicine
• Prescription vs. over-the-counter
• Labeling
• Medicine misuse
• Medicine Safety

2
What is Medicine?

• Prevents or cures a disease or medical problem
• Classified according to effect on body
• a. Prevent disease
• b. Fight pathogens
• c. Relieve pain
• d. Regulate blood pressure

3
Medicine Safety

• Food and Drug Administration
• -protects public health
• -safety and security of drugs
• -testing and approval of new drugs

4
Testing and Approval

• 1. pre-clinical testing
• 2. sponsor submits investigational new drug
  application
• 3. clinical trials
• 4. sponsor submits new drug application
• 5. FDA reviews
• 6. Released
• a. prescription
• b. over-the-counter

5
Prescription Medicine

• Strength and potential to harm
• Prescribed by physician, dispensed by licensed
  pharmacist
• Schedules/Categories

6
Drug Scheduals

• 1 Illegal and not prescribable
• 2 Written prescription required
• 3 Written or oral prescription required
• 4 Written or oral prescription required
• 5 OTC or by prescription depending on state law

7
Over-the-counter medicines

• Can buy without a doctors prescription
• Safe when used as directed
• Warning potential of being harmful if not used
  as directed

8
Labeling

• Certain information required by FDA
• 1. Name of product
• 2. Ingredients
• 3. Exact measurement of package contents
• 4. Name and address of manufacturer
• 5. Purpose of medicine
• 6. Cautions on use
• 7. Directions for safe use
• 8. Expiration date

9
Medicine Misuse

• Using medicine in a way other than the one
  intended
• giving your prescription medicine to someone else
• taking too much or too little of a medicine
• taking someone elses medicine
• discontinuing use of medicine without informing
  ones doctor
• taking medicine for a longer period of time than
  was prescribed
• mixing medicine

10
Help for Abuse

• Urge person to speak immediately with health care
  professional
• Discuss situation with responsible adult

1-800-662-HELP
11
Medicine Safety

• Proper storage
• keep in original package
• safe place
• never disable child-resistant cap
• discard expired medicines

12
Responsible Decisions

• Ask Questions
• Read the Label
• Practice Safety
• Become a partner in your health care

13

• Poison Control
• -24 hour hotline [phone]
• -be prepared to give information about victim
  and ingested medicine

14
Food and Drug Administration

• Manufactures must supply information reguarding
• medicines chemical composition intended use
• effects
• possible side effects

15
Responsible Decisions

• 1. State the situation
• 2. List the options
• 3. Weigh the possible outcomes
• 4. Consider your values
• 5. Make a decision and act
• 6. Evaluate the decision