UAE | Health
Move to tackle prescription medicine abuse
Authority aims to reduce self-medication and prevent people from taking antibiotics incorrectly.
- By Dina El ShammaaStaff Reporter
- Published: 00:47 March 3, 2008
Abu Dhabi: The sale of prescription drugs is to be monitored following instructions issued by the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD).
Pharmacists have been told not to sell prescription only medicine (POM) unless a doctor's prescription is provided.
The objective is to reduce the irrational use of medicines and prevent patients from harm. One of the aims of the initiative is to prevent antimicrobial resistance and reduce self-medication.
"Without a prescription, patients often start an antibiotic course but stop soon after their health has improved. The fact that patients do not take a full course of treatment may cause increased resistance of bacteria to the antibiotic. This type of behaviour is considered irrational drug use," said Dr Abdul Karim Smine, Drug Regulations Team Leader, HAAD. A circular was recently issued by HAAD to all pharmacies in Abu Dhabi, stating that all POM must not be sold without a doctor's prescription.
HAAD inspectors will carry out random inspections of pharmacies. Any pharmacy found not complying with regulations will be fined.
"Our main objective is to promote the rational use of medicine and protect public health, not to close down a business," said Dr Smine.
Our main objective is to promote the rational use of medicine and protect public health, not to close down a business."
Dr Abdul Karim Smine
Drug Regulations Team Leader, HAAD
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- Dance group brings taste of Korean culture to Abu Dhabi
- Africa segment at Dubai film festival
- Campaign to emphasise unity of UAE begins
- EAD studies focus on water security
- Facing battle against obesity in UAE schools
- Abu Dhabi plans to take comedy seriously
- Dubai Press Club marks 10th anniversary
- Visitors flock to see latest offerings at Sharjah book fair
- UAE combats human trafficking
- Ministry denies hijacking of UAE-flagged ship
- Saif meets special needs centre users
- Man says he repaid 95% of amount he embezzled
- Dubai saleswoman claims she was duped, raped
- Female clerk, waiter deny drug trafficking charges
- Gulf health officials slam unethical advertising
Community Reports
-
Help me find my precious cat
Raif, my cute eight-month-old ‘fur ball', went missing in Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen area last month
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
