Rational Use of Drugs- a Prescription Based Study at Rangpur

Abstract

Rational Prescribing implies using the right drug for the right patient at the right time in the right dose and manner of administration, at affordable cost and with right information. Rational use of drugs has multi- dimensional aspects which include medical, social and economical values. Medicines are one of the important basic needs for human being. Medicines are to be used in an appropriate and safe way and only when needed. The main objective is to promote the "Rational use of medication" and "Essential drugs concept" in Bangladesh in order to optimize the usefulness of medicines and help bring equity in their access to promote rational prescription, identify magnitude and nature of inappropriate drug utilization and factors which influence the behavior of prescribers and patients, understand the adverse impacts of inappropriate use of drugs; describe factors which influence the decision-making process and specific medication use problems, find out the way of improving rational use of drug by following WHO patterns. This study was conducted in Rangpur medical college and in few clinics situated at Rangpur district. Patient based prescription audit was conducted and 91 prescriptions of patients were collected prospectively between January 2010 to July 2010. The survey was conducted among the in-patients and out-patients. Patient consent was taken and their respective prescription was copied, the data was collected and evaluated by using WHO guidelines