Facebook as a source of access to medicines. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Zaprutko ◽  
Dorota Kopciuch ◽  
Anna Paczkowska ◽  
Józefina Sprawka ◽  
Julia Cynar ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Over the last decade, we’ve observed an enormous social media development, which have recently become commercial services. OBJECTIVE The objective was to verify Facebook as a source of pharmaceuticals offers. We also intended to identify prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines if available on that platform. METHODS The study was conducted from January 2019 to July 2020. We investigated offers of pharmaceuticals posted on the Polish Facebook (individual posts and communities) between 2016 and 2019. Medicines were divided into Rx and OTC brands and in accordance with their possible therapeutic use. We verified whether the medicines were for sale, to exchange, or available for free. Posts and groups were investigated for example by entering the phrase “for free,” followed by a city in Poland. RESULTS Out of 409 offers, 380 (92.91%) concerned Rx brands and 29 OTC brands. 315 (77.02%) medications were available “for free”. In 47 (11.49%) cases, an “exchange” was expected, and 47 (11.49%) announcements were marked as “for sale”. Cardiovascular medicines (n=125) were the most popular. There were also antidiabetics (n=38) and antipsychotics (n=28). We also found clear candidates for misuse. These were opioids (n=7), benzodiazepines (n=2 )as well as clomifene (n=1) and letrozole (n=1). CONCLUSIONS Facebook is a significant source of uncontrolled access to medicines. The majority of offers concerned Rx brands, including opioids and benzodiazepines. Medicines offered on Facebook are mainly accessible for free, and the scope and the number of medicines offered on Facebook should make this issue a hazardous phenomenon.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Dr.G. Madhumita ◽  
Dr.G. Rajini ◽  
Dr.B. Subisha

The study investigates the preference of OTC Medicines among the pharmaceutical brand.OTC Medicines means medicines lawfully permitted to sell  “Over the Counter”, i.e. devoid of the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner. In India, although the expression has no lawful acknowledgment, all the medicines that are not incorporated in the list of ‘prescription only medicines’ are measured as non-prescription medicines (or OTC Medicines).Pharmaceutical over the counter products (OTC) be the medicines which can be sold without prescription. Also termed as “Non Prescription Medicines” discussed by Arti(2010).This article talks about top pharmaceutical company brands Aventis Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Surya Pharma, Torrent Pharma,Glenmark,Divis Labs,Biocon, Orchid Chemical, Abbott Indi, Sterling Bio, Alembic Pharma etc, the brand preference of New Age Indian Women. A 736 questionnaire was composed of different age and different New Age Indian Women in around Urban :Chennai ;Semi Urban :Neyveli ; Rural :Soolurpet ;Tirupur. The findings of the study shows that the highest preferred generic brand is balms,  Medicines chosen  for fever is Crocin, Idoex  is most ideal pain blams, volini spray is also most preferred brand, ENO is ideal Antacid brand, Sadiron is another chosen brand for cough and cold, the other brands are Metfal SPS, Johnson, Revital are the other favored brands. The study will be a great instrument for the pharmaceutical companies brands to understand today’s New Age Indian Women.



Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Lezley-Anne Hanna ◽  
Alana Murphy ◽  
Maurice Hall ◽  
Rebecca Craig

Background: The aim was to investigate pharmacy students’ views on the role of the pharmacist in facilitating self-care with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, particularly in light of new roles, and establish personal practice. Methods: Final year pharmacy students at Queen’s University Belfast were invited to participate. Data were collected via a pre-piloted questionnaire, distributed at a compulsory class (only non-identifiable data were requested). Descriptive statistics were performed, and non-parametric tests were employed for inferential statistical analysis (responses by gender). Results: The response rate was 87.6% (78/89); 34.6% (27/78) males and 65.4% (51/78) females. Over a third [34.6% (27/78)] reported using OTC medicines about once a month. All appreciated the importance of an evidence-based approach to optimize patient care. Most [(96.2% (75/78)] deemed OTC consultations should remain a fundamental responsibility of pharmacists and 69.2% (54/78) thought OTC consultations have the potential to be as complex as independent pharmacist prescribing. Females felt more confident recommending OTC emergency contraception than males (p = 0.002 for levonorgestrel and p = 0.011 for ulipristal acetate). Many [61.5% (48/78)] considered more medicines should not be deregulated from prescription-only status. Conclusions: Data from this single institution suggests that enabling self-medication is an important part of practice but there were confidence issues around deregulations.



Author(s):  
Silvia Francesca Maria Pizzoli ◽  
Dario Monzani ◽  
Laura Vergani ◽  
Virginia Sanchini ◽  
Ketti Mazzocco

AbstractIn recent years, virtual reality (VR) has been effectively employed in several settings, ranging from health care needs to leisure and gaming activities. A new application of virtual stimuli appeared in social media: in the documentary ‘I met you’ from the South-Korean Munhwa Broadcasting, a mother made the experience of interacting with the avatar of the seven-year-old daughter, who died four years before. We think that this new application of virtual stimuli should open a debate on its possible implications: it represents contents related to grief, a dramatic and yet natural experience, that can have deep psychological impacts on fragile subjects put in virtual environments. In the present work, possible side-effects, as well as hypothetical therapeutical application of VR for the treatment of mourning, are discussed.



2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Masłyk

Abstract The main purpose of this article is to present the results of research concerning the use of social media by companies from the SME sector in Podkarpackie Province. The article includes data obtained in the first stage of the study, which is a part of a research project on the use of social media in the area of creating the image of an organization / company as an employer.The survey covered the entire population of companies from the SME sector, which are registered in Podkarpackie Province (REGON database). The research phase, the results of which are presented in this article, mainly involved the analysis of data on companies from the SME sector in Podkarpackie Province in terms of their presence on the Internet (having an individual website, having company profiles on selected social networks). The results of the first stage of the study confirm that the companies see the potential of the online presence / functioning in social media (more and more companies have their own website, Facebook profiles). The dynamics of changes in this area is definitely not adequate to the pace of new media development. On the basis of preliminary results of further stages of the research, it can also be concluded that in the vast majority of cases, however, these are non-strategic and non-systematic activities.







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