Public's knowledge of medicine still poor
Public's knowledge of medicine still poor
JAKARTA (JP): The public's understanding of the proper
selection and usage of pharmaceuticals is still poor, says a
professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
"There are many generic drugs on sale. But it does not mean
people can use them all," Charles Siregar said yesterday.
Siregar said that many people still needed to know about the
correct selection of drugs for illnesses.
In addition, he added, people should learn to understand their
doctors' instructions for taking the drugs because it will speed
up the recovery process.
"This will reduce health costs -- meaning that people will not
have to return to their doctor for further consultation if they
get the right dosage of drugs the first time," he said.
Siregar, who teaches at the Bandung-based Institute of
Technology (ITB) in West Java, believes that pharmacists play a
decisive role in disseminating information about what drugs are
best for treating a particular illness.
He said that Indonesia, like many other countries, is now
developing clinical pharmacy activities. These activities aim to
promote the role of pharmacists as people who stay in touch with
the public and give them correct information about what drugs to
use.
He said that these activities also include telling doctors
what drugs would be most beneficial to their patients for certain
types of ailments.
"The goal of the activity is for pharmacists to guarantee the
safety of the drugs prescribed by doctors," he said.
Siregar also said that Indonesia had gained recognition from
the World Health Organization (WHO) for the high quality of the
drugs produced by the local pharmaceutical industries.
He said that Indonesia has managed to meet the domestic demand
for pharmaceuticals, meaning that there was no way that the
country would serve as a testing ground for drugs produced by
foreign industries.
Also yesterday, the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (ISFI)
of which Siregar is a member of the patron council, announced the
plan to hold the fourth Pan Pacific Asian Congress on Clinical
Pharmacies here. The congress will be held from July 10 through
July 14.
The congress will be participated in by more than 200
delegates from Indonesia and foreign countries, including
Australia and the United States.
The goal of the congress will be to share information and to
encourage pharmacists' participation in serving the public.
H. Imam Hidayat, chairman of ISFI's central executive board,
said that the organization is encouraging pharmacists not to
concentrate only on profits.
He said if the pharmacists could gain the confidence of
consumers through their activities, in the long run the public
would become a knowledgeable market force. (par)