The Role of Education in Rational Use of Medicines
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involved in priority setting, development of materials and the campaigns itself; 10 Avoidance of perverse financial incentives – Consumers should
be involved in deciding how medicine prices are regulated; 11 Appropriate and enforced regulation – Consumers should be made aware of the
regulations and be part of the monitoring body; and, 12 Sufficient government expenditure to ensure availability of medicines and staff –
Consumers should lobby the governments to provide sufficient funds.
3.4 Fostering Rational Use of Medicines for consumers
Dr Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, said that irrational use of
medicines, which occurs every day, rarely generates headlines that grasp the attention of the public. The problems due to irrational use of medicines
have gone largely unnoticed by the providers and the patients, the public and the politicians. There needs to be a greater awareness about health
hazards and escalating costs from irrational use to generate interest in RUM. Dr Sauwakon said that the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia has
been spearheading the spread of knowledge on the rational use of medicines, using a wide range of mechanisms. Rational and irrational use of
medicines are the result of a combination of behaviour patterns of the providers and the patients. Education is a key instrument to forge behaviour
change. Dr Sauwakon enumerated the four groups which should be educated about RUM. These include consumers, professionals, drug-store
clerks and sellers, and policy-makers and bureaucrats. While educational strategies are very important in promoting the rational use of medicines,
these alone will not be sufficient to ensure the continuing rational use. Therefore, education strategies should be considered as a component and
an integral part of multifaceted coordinated interventions.
Dr Sauwakon said to empower consumers and providers on RUM concrete programmes should be developed and adequate resources
invested in raising awareness and providing information and knowledge about the rational use of medicines. Some possible programmes suggested
include RUM awareness campaigns; clinical guidelines for health professionals; drug information for patients and drug-sellers; regulating
medicine information; list of questions patients should ask about medicines; consumer medicine library; RUM programmes in schools; and cultivating
RUM culture. Dr Sauwakon said all stakeholders should collaborate in the
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long-term efforts to raise awareness and forge improvement in RUM. Further, efforts should be made through multiple organizations, multiple
channels and at multiple levels: organization, community, national and international.
3.5 Country experiences in education in Rational Use of
