This presentation provides a basic understanding of Rational use of medicines, it's significance, hazards of irrational drug used, factors contributing to irrational drug use, etc.

1. RATIONAL USE OF
MEDICINES
ALBASHIR TAHIR (BSc. Pharm)
albashirtahir@gmail.com
+2348068440615
APRIL, 2023

2. Rational Use of Medicines
• Rational drug use can be defined as the usage of
appropriate drug with proven safety & efficacy for
the right patient in the appropriate dose and dosage
form at proper intervals of time at low cost.
• WHO: The rational use of drugs requires that patient
receive medication appropriate to their clinical needs,
in doses that meet their own individual requirements
for an adequate period of time and at lowest cost to
them and their community.

3. Rational Use of Medicines…
• The above definition places emphasis on the following
• Appropriate indication – that is there should be sound
medical consideration for prescription
• Appropriate drug, considering efficacy, safety, suitability
for the patient and cost
• Appropriate administration, dosage and duration
• Patient adherence to treatment
• Appropriate patient information about the prescribed
drug

4. IRRATIONAL USE OF DRUGS
• It is the irrational use of dosage, regimen and
duration of particular ailment.
• Irrational use of drugs may result from errors in any
of the following procedures
• Diagnosis
• Prescription
• Dispensing

5. Diagnosis
• Inadequate examination of patient
• Incomplete communication between patient and
doctor
• Lack of documented medical history
• Inadequate laboratory

6. Prescription
• Incorrect prescribing
• Unnecessary drug combination
• Incorrect dosing – under or overdose
• Incorrect duration – prolong or short term use
• Unnecessary use of expensive medicines
• Multiple prescribing

7. Dispensing
• Incorrect interpretation of the prescription
• Retrieval of wrong ingredients
• Inaccurate counting, compounding, or pouring
• Unsanitary procedures
• Poor quality packaging material
Self medication, easy accessibility of drugs, rampant usage
medicines by the prescribers are some of the reasons for the
irrational usage of drugs.

8. Hazards of Irrational Drug Use
• Ineffective and unsafe treatment
• Exacerbation or prolongation of illness
• Distress and harm to patient
• Increase the cost of treatment
• Increased morbidity and mortality
• Increased Adverse drug reactions
• Increased drug Resistance
• Loss of patient confidence in health system

9. Factors Contributing to Irrational
Use of Medicines
• Lack of skills and knowledge
• Inappropriate unethical promotion of medicines by
pharmaceutical companies
• Profit from selling medicines
• Unrestricted availability of medicines
• Overworked health personnel
• Unaffordable medicines
• Lack of coordinated national pharmaceutical policy

10. Promoting RUM
• WHO advocates 12 key interventions to promote
rational use of medicines
 Establishment of multidisciplinary national body to
coordinate policies on medicine use
 Use of clinical guidelines
 Development and use of national essential medicines list
 Establishment of drug and therapeutics committees in
districts and hospitals

11. Promoting RUM…
 Inclusion of problem-based pharmacotherapy training in
undergraduate curricula
 Continuing in-service medical education as a licensure requirement
 Supervision, audit and feedback
 Use of independent information on medicines
 Public education about medicines
 Avoidance of perverse financial incentives
 Use of appropriate and enforced regulation
 Sufficient government expenditure to ensure availability of
medicines and staffs

12. • Lack of objective information and of continuing education and training
programs.
• Lack of well organized drug regulatory authority and supply of drugs.
• Presence of large number of drugs in the market and the lucrative methods
of promotion of drugs employed by pharmaceutical industries.
• The prevalent belief that “every ill has a pill.”

13. THANK YOU