Switch Drugs Vis-à-Vis Rx and OTC: Policy, Marketing, and Research Considerations

1994 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariea Grubbs Hoy

The over-the-counter drug market is expected to nearly double in sales from 1990 to 2000, attributed primarily to a growing product class: prescription drugs that are “switched” to over-the-counter status. The author presents a framework in which to compare and contrast switch drugs with prescription and over-the-counter drugs by evaluating them in light of health and safety, economic, consumer behavior, and marketing considerations. She also addresses the general policy implications and marketing communications considerations for switch drugs in light of their relationship to consumer choice and vulnerable market segments such as the elderly and children. Finally, given the limited attention to switch drugs in previous marketing literature, the author provides research directions in which academicians could contribute to policy related to this product category.

Author(s):  
Do Thi Thuy Quyen ◽  
Tran Hoang Minh ◽  
Phan Thi My Xuyen ◽  
Nguyen Thao Nguyen

Expired and unused medicine can be mistakenly reused. This fact endangers the health, especially the elderly and young children. Currently, Vietnam has no regulations and guidelines on how to collect and dispose expired/unused medicines in households. Consequently, how expired/ unused medicines are disposed remain unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the students practice of disposing medicine. The survey was conducted in March 2020, using the "snowball" method on the social networks to spread the google form questionnaires to 525 students of University of Science. Survey results showed that 73.5% of students were keeping at least one unused over-the-counter drug at home while only 36.5% of students kept prescription drugs. The most common medications keeping unused at home are pain relievers and antipyretics (nonprescription groups) and antibiotics (prescription groups). Regarding the expired drugs, more than 80% of students said that they would throw away, nearly 10% keep at home, and 5% return to the pharmacy. For unwanted medicines, 70% of respondents keep at home, 20% will dispose and 15% will give to others. The most common way of the medicine disposal is to dispose together with the household solid waste. The study recorded that 84% students dispose medicines in household waste bin and 8% (likely living in rural area) burn with household solid waste. Disposing medicines with solid waste mean that the large amount of medicines would end up in the landfill. This raised a risk of groundwater contamination from the leachate in landfills. Nearly 80% of students participating in the survey believe that issuing and disseminating instructions for drug disposal and setting up collection points at hospitals and pharmacies is necessary. The study proposed a method to dispose of expired/unused medicines at


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagjit S Soar

he current COVID-19 pandemic now believed to be based on the mutation of the SARS-CoV virus (first reported in 2002) to SARS-CoV-2 emerging in 2019, is naturally causing extreme worry and concern around the world with sometimes mixed and incoherent messages on how to deal with it. There is a plethora of information from previous epidemics caused by other coronaviruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS (2002) and Middle East respiratory syndrome MERS (2012) from which we can extrapolate guidance on how to deal with the current pandemic. In the current absence of specific pharmaceutical agents, we propose assessing the extended tools that we already possess in our biological armoury to combat, prevent and control the spread of this virus. Using a set of precise criteria to locate such possible contenders, we conducted literature searches to find compounds that met these criteria. We have now reduced this to a shortlist of three agents that may be the best candidates. We propose vitamin C, vitamin D and Curcumin fit our criteria well. These compounds are widely available to the general public. They are available online and over-the-counter as supplements. Otherwise healthy individuals are safely able to self-administer these agents as a prophylactic to protect themselves and to enhance their immune response. This would be especially desirable for the elderly and at risk groups. These agents can also be used as adjunct therapy, particularly for those who may have early symptoms. This preventative therapy could be implemented whilst awaiting specific pharmaceutical drugs to emerge as a treatment for COVID-19. Our suggested compounds are a highly cost-effective way to potentially reduce the mortality that is regretfully mounting as a result of COVID-19 infection. The biological mode of action and the dosing of these compounds are summarised.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prof. Amit Shrivastava ◽  
Prof. Sushil Kumar Pare ◽  
Prof (Dr) Saumya Singh

Inadequate is the empirical research on store choice model in view of retail store attributes with endogenous construct of store patronage intention of consumer. Conventional wisdom and social science research-based insights for underpinning the design of store environment established elements such as music, scent, crowding and physical attractiveness of the store. Earlier empirical findings lack on key anterior, which include consumers’ time and effort as well as the psychological costs such as convenient, economical, risk mitigated shopping experience. The premise on which overall effects in our model rests, is that store attributes influence consumers' cognitive process and develop perceptual framework of store choice criteria — namely, convenience, reputation of outlet, branded merchandise (mediated through perceived quality). This research presents a formal test of the linear regression equation model in the context of store choice behaviour, involving one product category. The present paper explores these attributes and their affect on consumer from different socio-economic classes, willingness to purchase and to patronize if these factors are modified. Questioning the earlier conclusions that all attributes aforementioned are equally important in consumer decision making, the current results indicate that consumers place differential significance on each attribute, and the level of significance placed on each attribute varies with different socio economic class. These findings are significantly important to the retail industry as they identify the critical attributes responsible for building consumer choice and patronage among different socio economy classes. This model also paves way for another premise of empirical research, that shoppers might develop category-wise store choice or patronage behaviour model.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. e236929
Author(s):  
Sheliza Halani ◽  
Peter E Wu

A 79-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 1-week history of worsening confusion, falls and hearing impairment. An initial workup for infectious, metabolic and structural causes was unrevealing. However, further history discovered that he had been ingesting one to two bottles of Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) daily for gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms. On his second day of admission, the plasma salicylate concentration was 2.08 mmol/L (reference range 1.10–2.20 mmol/L), despite no sources of salicylate in hospital. He was diagnosed with chronic salicylate toxicity and Pepto-Bismol use was discontinued. The patient was treated supportively with isotonic intravenous fluids only and plasma salicylate concentration fell to less than 0.36 mmol/L. Concurrently, all his symptoms resolved. This case highlights the potential adverse effects of over-the-counter medications. The diagnosis of chronic salicylate toxicity is challenging, specifically in the elderly and in undifferentiated presentations, as it can be missed if not suspected.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 164-165
Author(s):  
Laura Wray ◽  
Bonnie Vest ◽  
Laura Brady ◽  
Christina Vair ◽  
Gregory Beehler ◽  
...  

Abstract People with dementia (PWD) typically receive most of their healthcare in primary care (PC), but neurocognitive disorders can be challenging to recognize, assess, and manage in that setting. As a result, cognitive impairment in older adults is often missed or not addressed until later stages. The result is poor management of comorbid health conditions, increased healthcare utilization, and negative outcomes for the patient and family. Further, strategies for improvement and barriers to high quality PC for PWD have received limited attention. To improve PC for PWD, it is essential to understand what care outcomes should be targeted. To address this gap, we used a qualitative approach to examine potential outcomes of PC from the perspectives of older adults, family caregivers, primary care teams, and geriatrics specialists (n=79) from two Veterans Health Administration healthcare systems. Participants were interviewed individually or in focus groups. A directed content analysis based on the adapted Donabedian model was employed and expanded to fully capture transcript content. Three main categories of outcomes were identified: Personhood (i.e., independence), Physical Health and Safety, and Quality of Life. Regardless of participant type, respondents focused on similar desired outcomes and, notably, identified outcomes as important for both patients and their broader social context (i.e., caregivers, family). Discussion will: show how findings align with work conducted in specialty and residential care; describe how challenges to attaining these outcomes in PC can be overcome; and, challenge cognitive screening recommendations for PC that are based primarily on risk/benefit analysis of medication-focused outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 083-114
Author(s):  
楊國柱 楊國柱 ◽  
吳金奇 Yang, Kuo-Chu

<p>嘉義縣民雄鄉山中村1(舊稱牛斗山或牛稠山),因牛稠溪域流經村莊而得此名,早期是全鄉人口最大村。山中村宗教信仰普遍為民間信仰,村莊主廟為廣濟宮,以奉祀池府王爺、媽祖、鄭成功為主,但村莊發展及信仰主體係圍繞池府王爺。本文採用文獻分析、田野調查及立意取樣後進行深度訪談,以探討山中村祭祀圈之形成,以及村民如何理解不同神靈之內涵,進而有助於山中村之社區發展與文化資源保存。</p> <p>藉由祭祀圈概念切入,以理解山中村社區各神靈祭祀圈的範圍與分布,進而探討地方社區信仰中心發展,與山中村民對不同神靈認知及意義之解讀。經研究發現:(一)隨著人口增加及集居地擴大,主廟的祭祀圈變大;由於廟務活動增加,牛斗山土地公廟的祭祀圈擴大;五營中的東、西兩營,未隨著社區的新增而往外遷移,因此祭祀圈無明顯變化。(二)山中村神靈祭祀圈的分布,「五營」與居民輪祀居住的地理範圍有關,原具有分群概念的輪祀傳統逐漸模糊:老者對此模糊;中年人認知些許;青年則不明白為何奉祀,宗教信仰傳承出現斷層的可能。(三)山中村民對不同祭祀圈神靈解讀有所異同,普遍難闡述神靈的由來及背景,較理解者屬老年人;其次為中年人;青年人則對神靈認知不清楚。(四)不同祭祀圈神靈意義與山中村民早期生活環境較有其關聯性,老年人多數提及身體健康及平安;中年人求財運、事業;青年人求課業順利。據此,就結論提出建議以供參考。</p> <p>&nbsp;</p><p>Shanzhong Village (formerly known as Niudou Mountain or Niuhou Mountain) in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, got its name because the Niuhou Stream passed through the village. In the early days, it was the village with the largest population in the township. For the Guangji Palace, it is mainly dedicated to the worship of Lord Chifu, Mazu and Zheng Chenggong (Cheng Ch&rsquo;eng-Kung), but the village development and belief system surrounds Lord Chifu. This paper uses literature analysis, field investigations, and intentional sampling to conduct in-depth interviews to discuss the formation of the mountain village sacrificial circle and how the villagers understand the connotation of different gods, which can help the community development and cultural resource preservation of the mountain village. </p> <p> Through research, the concept of the religious field was cut in to understand the scope and distribution of the religious fields of the various deities in the Shanzhong Village community, and to discuss the development of local community faith centers and the understanding and meaning interpretation of the different deities of the Shanzhong villagers. The research found: (1) The religious realms become bigger because the population of village was increased;on the other side, Shanshang Viallage&rsquo;s religious realms become wilder due to the increase of temple actives. However, for the &quot;five camps&quot;, the east and west side of the deities&rsquo;s emissary did not extend so the Religious Realms can not protect the new village, (2) The distribution of the spiritual field in the Shanzhong village, the &quot;&quot;five camps&quot;&quot; are more closely related to the geographical scope of the residents&rsquo; rotation worship. The tradition of rotation worship with the concept of grouping is gradually blurring, and the old people are blurring; Understand why there is a possibility that there is a fault in the inheritance of religious beliefs; (3) Villagers in the mountains have different interpretations of deities in different religious fields, and it is generally difficult to understand the origin and background of deities, older than those who understand; older than middle-aged; more young Unrecognizable to the gods; (4) The significance of the gods in different religious fields is more related to the early life environment of the villagers in the mountains. The elderly have significant health and safety; the middle-aged people seek wealth and career; the young people seek smooth schooling .Then refer to the above research results to make research suggestions.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>


2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiana Rossi Varallo ◽  
Fernanda Mariana de Oliveira ◽  
Patrícia de Carvalho Mastroianni

Certain medicines are considered potentially inappropriate (PIM) for elderly people as they increase the risk of adverse drug events (ADE) and because safer alternative therapies are available on the market. In this context, in order to identify the instruments that assess the quality of medical prescriptions for elderly and to determine which drugs are considered PIM, a bibliographic survey was conducted in PUBMED, LILACS and PAHO databases, in February and March/2010. The search strategy included the use of health descriptors and a manual search in the references cited by selected papers. During the period of data collection, 15 instruments were identified. In 2012, with the publication of the update of Beers criteria, this instrument was included in the study. We identified 163 PIM of 25 therapeutic classes, of which 125 (76.7%) are marketed in Brazil. Of these, 31 (24.8%) are essential medicines (RENAME 2012), of which 13 have safer therapeutic equivalents and 19 (15.2%) are over-the-counter drugs. Data suggest the need for inclusion of safer alternatives for the elderly in the national list of essential medicines and the pharmaceutical care for early detection of ADE in this age group, in order to contribute to the safe use of medicines.


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-46
Author(s):  
Jonathan Oberlander

There is growing enthusiasm for transforming Medicare into a voucher system. Advocates claim vouchers would increase the health care choices available to Medicare beneficiaries, reduce the regulatory burden on the federal government, and promote the benefits of fair market competition. In addition, some analysts contend vouchers are the only feasible solution to Medicare's short-term financing problems and the long-term “crisis” of the retirement of the baby-boom generation. The author argues against these claims. Vouchers would not work as advertised by proponents because of the limitations of risk-adjustment methods and unrealistic assumptions about consumer choice. Moreover, the elderly and disabled Medicare population is ill-suited to cope in a competitive insurance system. Implementation of vouchers would therefore pose a threat to both the health of beneficiaries and the stability of the Medicare program. The implications of this analysis for Medicare reform are discussed.


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