Background: By recognizing the need to promote rational utilization of medicines, the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) developed a set of core indicators. This study aimed to investigate drug use based on it.Methods: The study was performed in Primary Health Centers (PHC) in Nashik District, Maharashtra, India. Prescriptions data for the last one year from PHCs were sampled out retrospectively. Outpatients from PHCs were selected, observed and interviewed for the patient-care indicators, prospectively. Pharmacy personnel was interviewed for the facility-specific indicators. The data were analyzed; results and conclusions were drawn.Results: The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.48 (SD=0.36). The percentages of drugs prescribed by generic name and from Essential Drug List or formulary were 83.98% and 68.97% respectively. The percentages of encounters with antibiotics and injections were 60.33% and 50.83% respectively. The average consultation and dispensing times were 3.89 minutes and 58.28 seconds respectively. 98.19% of the prescribed drugs were actually dispensed. 67.27% of the dispensed drugs were labelled. The percentage of patients’ knowledge of the correct dosage was 87.78%. The percentage availability of the EDL or formulary was 100% and of the key drugs in the stock was 85.71%.Conclusions: The need for improvement in prescribing practices can be encouraged by devising strategies such as training to physicians, rewards systems, etc. There should be plans to increase staff members for a particular working period and to educate patients with healthcare, hygiene, medicines’ compliance and common diseases.

Background: Haemovigilance Programme of India was launched in 2012 with the purpose to identify, analyse and learn the complications related to transfusion and blood donation, in order to avoid such complications in future. Though it is essential to identify the Adverse Transfusion Reactions (ATR) to reduce the incidence and make transfusion easier; there are rare reports available about knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Healthcare Professionals (HCP) for haemovigilance.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, pre-validated questionnaire designed for assessing the KAP, the possible ways to improve transfusion reaction reporting and causes of underreporting were distributed among 220 Healthcare Professional (HCP) in Nashik, Maharashtra.Results: The response rate of the study was 93%. Amongst them 58% HCP had poor knowledge while only 9% had good knowledge about haemovigilance. According to respondents, training to the HCP, CME’s, making reporting compulsory and launching of a toll-free helpline number will mark a milestone in improving transfusion reaction reporting. Legal liability issue and lack of time & knowledge were the main factors which discouraged them from reporting.Conclusions: Overall, most of HCP in Nashik have a positive attitude towards transfusion reaction reporting but knowledge regarding the haemovigilance concept is poor and the majority of them never reported ATR. Hence, our study demands increased awareness and continued training to strengthen the haemovigilance system, especially ATR reporting.

Background: Iohexol is widely used radiocontrast media in the radiology departments for the diagnostic imaging purpose. As very few studies are carried out focusing on safety profiles of this contrast media. This study was conducted to know the profile of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) induced by Iohexol in patients who are undergoing the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) examination.Methods: Total 106 patients from CT unit of radiology department were observed for adverse drug reactions from Iohexol contrast media in 2 months duration. Acute ADRs were recorded immediately after contrast media administration by observation and personal interviews and delayed ADRs are recorded by follow up after 24hrs.Results: Total 23 out of 106 patients who had undergone CT imaging investigations by Iohexol contrast media had developed ADRs. Total 29 ADRs were developed in 23 patients. Out of these, 22 ADRs were acute and 7 ADRs were delayed reactions. All acute ADRs were of “probable” category and all delayed ADRs were of “possible” category according to WHO-UMC and Naranjo’s causality assessment scales. All ADRs were at Level-1 according to Modified Hartwig and Siegel severity scale. Preventability assessment of ADRs using Modified Schumock and Thornton preventability scale showed that all the ADRs were of “not preventable” class. All 29 ADRs were of TYPE U (Unclassified) as per the Wills and Brown method.Conclusions: All reactions are physiologic and are mild in nature. No life-threatening reactions are observed during the entire study period. Development of ADRs in female patients seen higher than male patients. So, this population requires a special attention for any serious contrast media reactions.

Background: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease which affects the quality of life. It leads to multiple complications due to metabolic involvement. Out of multiple drugs used to treat diabetes, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are comparatively new drugs used for type-2-diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment. This study aimed to find out the drug utilization (DU) 90% and use of DPP-4 inhibitors in patients with type-2-DM.Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at a private healthcare clinic of an endocrinologist in Nashik. Type-2-DM patients of both sexes were selected and a total of 199 patients were enrolled in the study. The consented patients were interviewed and prescription copies were collected. After studying them; statistical analysis was done and results and conclusions were drawn.Results: Out of total prescribed drugs, 58.77% of drugs were anti-diabetics. It was observed that the biguanides were most frequently (25.32%) prescribed while the least prescribed drugs were meglitinide analogues (0.08%). Most commonly utilized anti-diabetic found to be metformin. Vildagliptin 50 mg is the most commonly prescribed drug from DPP-4 inhibitors. Most of the drugs from the DPP-4 inhibitor group came under DU90%.Conclusions:DPP-4 inhibitors are showing wide acceptability by endocrinologists for type-2-DM management, according to this study. Performing repetitive drug utilization pattern study and circulation of standard treatment guidelines to practising physicians can be required. To emphasize the point on generic prescription, more awareness should be created. So that these can responses to further cost-effective and rational prescribing practices.

Health care expenses are booming now a day. India is one of the biggest generic medicine manufacturers all over the world. Less knowledge of generic medicine correlates to less prescribing and dispensing of generic medicine. As a pharmacist play an important role in providing a safe and effective medicine to the patient, so they required great knowledge and attitude towards generic medicine. The main objective is to assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of generic medicine among pharmacists in Tertiary Care Hospital, Nashik. This is an observational, cross-sectional, KAP questionnaire-based study carried among 130 pharmacy professionals. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics. More than half of the total number of participants (n = 130) had answered general knowledge questions about generic medicines correctly. Attitude study among pharmacy professionals showed that most of them had great knowledge about safety, efficacy but they were neutral attitudes viz and they didn't have perfect idea and were not sure about the manufacturing standards of generic medicines. Most of the pharmacists dispense an innovator drug over generic medicine available (53.84%). The maximum number of pharmacists had never read articles that compared the safety and efficacy of generic versus innovator medicines (61.53%). Our study shows that pharmacists had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards generic medicine but the practice was comparatively poor.