“Medicines are not ordinary products, let’s not take them lightly.” In a major information and awareness campaign launched on Wednesday, the ANSM, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products, wishes to point out the dangers of self-medication and urge the French to stop bad health habits.
It must be said that these bad gestures take time to die. According to a Viavoice survey carried out in parallel to this campaign, 3 out of 10 French people say they adapt the dose or duration of their prescribed medication, while 1 in 5 say they take higher doses or take several drugs at the same time. Worse still, this work also reveals that half of those surveyed give medicine to a loved one who suffers from the same symptoms.
various formats
This campaign is available in several formats. In addition to a dedicated site, lesmedicamentsetmoi.fr, posters and audio files have been produced, as well as a brochure dedicated to the general public and a twenty-two second video that will be broadcast on various platforms.
On these formats, several comparisons are made with exchanges of daily life. “Spices work well when mixed, drugs don’t,” read one sign, while another states that “a drill is good for the neighbors, drugs aren’t.”
“A medication is prescribed for a particular pathology, for a single person. I do not advise anyone to exchange medicines or give them to a neighbor because we think we have the same symptoms as him, “explains pharmacist Frederic Desmoulins on BFMTV.
In a press release, the ANSM strongly insists on the “benefit/risk balance” of each drug, evaluated by the health authorities.
The Agency also recalls that the misuse of a drug can cause the appearance of adverse effects, “from simple nausea to death”, as well as an inadequate management of the pathology, “which then constitutes a loss of possibilities” of cure. .
All drugs in question
These tips apply to all drugs, not just prescription drugs.
“Vigilance must be essential in all medicines. Whether prescription or non-prescription drugs”, confirms Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil, director general of the ANSM.
The campaign also calls for the utmost vigilance regarding expired medicines, which can at best become ineffective and at worst become contaminated with bacteria. Therefore, it is advisable to pay close attention to its useful life and, in case of doubt, consult qualified professionals.
Source: BFM TV
