2023 Volume 15 Issue 1 Pages 52-61
A survey was conducted among event participants in order to better understand the stockpiling status of OTC drugs among the general public and to help identify their needs for OTC drugs. While 76.9% of the respondents stockpiled OTC drugs as one of their specific self-medication practices, only 34.1% of them answered that they practiced self-medication, suggesting the need to inform the public about specific self-medication practices. Many of the OTC drugs listed as stockpiled were drugs used for acute symptoms. In addition, only 23 of the 48 drug groups in the health support pharmacy requirement were stockpiled. Therefore, it can be assumed that the variety of OTC drugs used frequently in self-medication is limited. Although health support pharmacies are required to have OTC drugs in 48 drug groups according to government requirements, if a system is established to provide consultation on OTC drugs, we believe that there is room for reconsideration of installed drugs.
