Pharmacists warn South Africans about medicine misuse and fake drugs - IOL

Taking too much medicine, using someone else’s prescription, or stopping treatment when you feel better may seem harmless, but pharmacists warn that these everyday mistakes can result in treatment failure, poisoning, organ damage, and antibiotic resistance.

The warning comes during Pharmacy Month, which this year carries the theme “Ask Your Pharmacist. Your Pharmacist – Your Partner in Health”. The campaign aims to remind patients that pharmacists do more than dispense medicine and can help them use their medication safely.

Professor Renier Coetzee, associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape and president of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa, said patients often made mistakes without realising the potential consequences.

“One common mistake is not following the correct dose. For example, using a kitchen spoon to measure a child’s liquid medicine can result in too much or too little medicine being given. Proper measuring devices are available, so ask your pharmacist to show you how to use them,” Coetzee said.

He said taking more medicine because you feel worse or believe a higher dose will speed up recovery could instead cause serious side effects, poisoning, or damage to vital organs.

“Never use medicine prescribed for someone else. A medicine that is safe and appropriate for one person may be unsuitable for another. The dose, other medicines they are taking, allergies, and their medical condition all need to be considered,” he said.

Coetzee said antibiotics were another area where incorrect use could have serious consequences. Using the wrong antibiotic or taking an inadequate dose could leave an infection untreated and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

He said antibiotics treat certain bacterial infections and do not work against viral illnesses such as most colds and flu.

Coetzee also cautioned patients against stopping chronic medication simply because they feel better, saying some conditions can have few or no symptoms even when they are not properly controlled.

He advised patients to speak to their pharmacist before stopping or changing their medication, as some medicines need to be taken regularly while others may need to be reduced gradually.

“My message is simple: always ask your pharmacist about your medicines. Even if you have been taking medicine for years, it is useful to check that you are still taking it correctly because information can change, other medicines may be added, and instructions are easy to forget,” Coetzee said.

He also urged patients to return unused or expired medicines to a pharmacy rather than throwing them into household bins, sinks, or toilets.

The risks also extend to where patients obtain their medicines, with South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) Registrar and CEO Vincent Tlala warning against informal sources, including social media networks.

“More often than not, medicines not sourced from legitimate sources such as pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics tend to be falsified and substandard,” Tlala said.

He said falsified medicines placed patients’ health at serious risk because they may not contain the same active pharmaceutical ingredients found in genuine medicines.

“Apart from resulting in treatment failure, falsified medicines may cause health complications which may result in death,” he said.

Tlala urged patients to obtain medicines only from licensed and registered pharmacies, and avoid websites or social media platforms that are not linked to legitimate pharmacies.

He said anyone who suspected that a medicine was falsified should stop taking it and consult a pharmacist or medical practitioner to ensure any possible adverse effects were treated and the correct treatment was provided.

The Gauteng Department of Health urged the public to remain alert to medicines with suspicious packaging or labelling, altered expiry dates, an unexpected appearance or quality, or products that fail to produce the expected treatment effect.

Suspected substandard or falsified medicines should not be used and should be reported promptly to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

“Medicines can only deliver their intended health benefits when they are used correctly and consistently. Skipping doses, taking medication incorrectly or stopping treatment without consulting a healthcare professional can reduce the effectiveness of treatment and place patients at risk of serious health complications,” said Gauteng Health spokesperson Steve Mabona.

The department said pharmacists also play a role in chronic disease management, health education, vaccination, point-of-care testing, and community outreach.