• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-66
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• 2009

Objective : Functional dyspepsia is a prevalent disease. It impedes subjective quality of life. The purpose of this research is to examine the equivalent effect of herb drug medicine treatment(H-D)and Over the Counter(OTC) for functional dyspepsia. Method : In this controlled study, we compared herb drug medicine(H-D) with Over the Counter(OTC) of functional dyspepsia. 30 volunteers who satisfied the requirements were enrolled in study. Severity of dyspepsia was measured by Nepean Dyspepsia Index(NDI-K) before and after treatments. Result : The results are summarized as follows. 1. In Herb drug medicine and Over the Counter groups, total key symptoms score of after treatment were significantly decreased and improve rate of key symptoms was higher than before treatment, but there were no statistical significance between two groups. 2. In Herb drug medicine and Over the Counter groups, each symptoms score of after treatment were significantly decreased and improve rate of key symptoms was higher than before treatment, but there were no statistical significance between two groups. 3. In Herb drug medicine and Over the Counter groups, quality of life score of after treatment were significantly decreased and improve rate of key symptoms was higher than before treatment, but there were no statistical significance between two groups. Conclusion : Herb drug medicine treatment(H-D) is effective to improve the symptoms and quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.265-291
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• 2011

Changes in a drug's availability from prescription only to over-the-counter (OTC) status is of concern to physicians from both public health and individual patient perspectives. Government has generally been supportive of changes in medications from prescription(Rx) to over-the-counter (OTC) status in Korea, however, recognizing that there are both benefits and risks to any health care intervention, health care professionals are conservative in implementing changes to either the process or structure of health care. Changes in status of a drug from Rx to OTC can represent a change in both structure and process. Cost and convenience seem to be major factors in determining whether, given the choice, patients purchase a medicine over the counter or obtain it on prescription. With current arrangements, exemption from prescription charges provides an incentive to continue to obtain products on NHS prescription even when they are available over the counter. There is therefore no simple relation between the availability of over the counter medicines and the level of prescribing of deregulated products. The appropriate use of over the counter medicines-particularly those that have only recently been deregulated-places a burden of care on community pharmacists and calls for closer working relationships with general practitioners. In particular, systems for referral and for recording details of both prescribed and over the counter medicines need to be developed, and a direct route needs to be established for community pharmacists to report adverse drug reactions to over the counter products. Reclassification of prescription medicines-by making them available through pharmacies without a prescription-provides the opportunity for consumers to purchase a wider range of medicinal products without making a demand on NHS resources. There is, however, no simple relation between availability of over the counter medicines and demand for NHS prescriptions. In the late 1980s the UK government fuelled the over the counter market by making it easier to reclassify certain medicines from prescription only status to allow over the counter sale in pharmacies. To explore the influence of deregulation of medicines on NHS prescribing, this article presents analyses of consumer behaviour in using medicines and prescribers' attitudes to over the counter medication and collates findings from research. Policy makers should be aware that patients' expectations in relation to OTC medicines may be in conflict with evidence-based practice.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patterns of Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs and their interactions with prescription drugs in adults visiting a community pharmacy. Method: The subjects were 151 adults aged over 20 years visiting a community pharmacy in Asan-si from December 16th 2011 to February 1st 2012. We used a survey questionnaire. The survey inquired about the prevalence and the details of any OTC drug use and the characteristics of the study subjects. The drug interaction classification system from Lexicomp's Lexi-interact data fields was used to identify OTC drugs likely to have clinically significant interactions with prescription drugs. Results: The patterns of OTC drug use were related to thirties (from 30 to 40 years old), female gender, higher education, non-smoking, sometimes use of alcohol, and self-perceived normal health status. The most commonly used OTC drug category was antipyretic-analgesics (n=104, 53.3%), and the most commonly used ingredient was acetaminophen (n=67, 64.4%). The biggest motivation for taking OTC drugs was suggestion by pharmacists, reported by 55.6%. After reviewing each patient's prescription drugs and OTC drugs, 14 patients (36.8%) of 38 patients using prescription drugs were taking drug combinations with potential for clinically significant interactions. The concomitant use of OTC drugs with prescription drugs may lead to increased potentially harmful interactions. Conclusion: It is suggested that health-care professionals should be more aware of the potential and possible interactions and take into better account their patients' OTC drug use.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.71.2-72
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• 2003

This presentation is to enhance the pharmacist's role in Over-The-Counter(OTC) drug selection and patient counseling for diversification of pharmacy management after the separation of prescribing and dispensing practice in Korea. Self-medication by OTC drugs may be viewed as one element of the broader self-care treatment. The patient may use a OTC drug to manage a minor ailment, a process that may be supported by counseling from a pharmacist. Pharmacists involved in self-medication decisions have a greater involvement with patients and an enhanced professional role. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of the study was to analyze the difference in the importance and performance of the educational content of the community pharmacy practice and find the factors that influence it. Methods: A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire asked about the importance and performance of the pharmacy practice education items to community pharmacy preceptors, current students, and professors. Data were analyzed using Microsoft office 365 Excel and IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: A total of 117 people participated. The averages of importance and performance were 4.34±0.34 and 3.71±0.45, respectively. Except for the computational entry of prescriptions and medication history, the average score for the importance of all educational items was statistically significantly higher than the one for performance. Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) identified over-the-counter medication counseling, over-the-counter drug selection consultation, pharmacy management, adverse drug reaction monitoring, and understanding and implementation of drug use evaluation as the items that needed focused effort. Borich's needs were highest in the adverse drug reaction monitoring. Conclusions: Overall, high importance and low performance indicate a need for improvement in community pharmacy practice education. Since the demand for education was high in over-the-counter medication counseling, adverse drug reaction monitoring, and OTC drug selection consultation, various supports are urgently needed to strengthen pharmacy practice education in this area in the future.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.43-46
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• 2003

Phenypropanolamine (PPA) is a sympathetic amine used in over-the-counter cold remedies and weight-control preparations. The side effects are hypertension, dysrhythmias, stroke, etc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking steps to remove PPA from all drug products and has requested that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containg PPA due to high risk of hemorrhage stroke. But, in Korea now, patinets take products containg PPA with over the counter. We report here the case of PPA induced myocardial injury in a young woman who takes overdose for suicide.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 2018

Objective: To compare adverse event reporting patterns between ethical-the-counter and over-the-counter drugs from community pharmacies and outpatient settings. Methods: We conducted a descriptive study using the adverse event reporting database, wherein data were collected from the regional pharmacovigilance centers of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. The reported drugs were classified into either ethical-the-counter or over-the-counter drugs, and we compared the distribution of patient age and gender, frequent adverse events and medications, serious adverse events, and causality assessment results, where causality assessments were performed according to the World Health Organization-The Uppsala Monitoring Centre's system. Results: We included 17,570 reports (75,451 drug-adverse event pairs). Ethical-the-counter and over-the-counter drugs accounted for 81.4% and 18.6% of the total adverse event reports, respectively. The use of over-the-counter drugs was higher in females and patients aged <18 years, whereas the use of ethical-the-counter drugs was higher in those aged >65 years. Alimentary tract and metabolism drugs, and respiratory system drugs were the most frequent ethical-the-counter and over-the-counter drugs, respectively. From causality assessment results, "possible" (75.4%) was the most commonly assigned category for ethical-the-counter drugs, while "possible" (44.0%) and "unlikely" (47.7%) were the most common categories for over-the-counter drugs. The distribution of serious adverse events were similar for both ethical-the-counter and over-the-counter drugs. Conclusion: Differences were observed in age, gender, reported medications, and symptoms for both ethical-the-counter and over-the-counter drugs. Further pharmacovigilance activities considering the adverse event characteristics of over-the-counter drugs, which are comparable to ethical-the-counter drugs, should be performed.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2013

Objective: This study aims to assess the following issues - acquisition level in terms of the information on frequently used drugs of youth, access paths for the information, actual status of the use of drugs frequently used by youth, types of the used drugs, drug abuse among youth, and the consequent drawbacks. This study also takes aims at suggestion of correct role of pharmacists in consideration of drug abuse among youth. Methods: During the period from August 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012, a research design and a question development have been conducted. To the students of the schools that were randomly selected (elementary school's N=99, middle school's N=106, high school's N=115 and university's N=115), it was asked to complete given questionnaire from August 1, 2012 to August 31, 2012. During the period from September 1, 2012 to October 30, 2012, the questionnaires were collected back and the analysis and evaluation of them were carried out. Results: Drugs known to the respondents were a total of 115 different medicines and most of the drugs belonged to over-the-counter drugs. The most well known drug was pain reliever and the second most familiar drug was wound ointment. Most of the respondents found the drugs through direct use and advertisement. In everyday life, more than half of the respondents were using over-the-counter drugs as well as health supplements. The most commonly used drug was analgesic drug. It was showed that the respondents also frequently used the drugs for improving their grades and appearances. It was shown that among the cases of drug use, there were also the cases of misuse and abuse of drugs for the respondents or people around them. Reliability of pharmacists was shown to be high and many students were also satisfied with the pharmacists' guidance for medication. Conclusion: Currently many students are using different kinds of drug in daily life, and there is a possibility that the risk of misuse and abuse of drugs will be increased. Those age groups can easily engage in bad habit of drug use. Thus, promotion on accurate drug information has to be strengthened, and pharmacists are required to conduct correct guidance for drug user's medication in terms of use amount, usage, interactions among different drugs, and potential risks.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.146-153
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• 2016

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs refer to medicines that are generally safe when used according to the product label. We aimed to assess and reflect upon changes in perception of health and health-related demands by decades in Korea according to the consumption and sales trends of OTC drugs. This study was conducted by literature search on the production and sale rankings of OTC drug market in Korea. Changes in the OTC drug market were analyzed and organized by decades to evaluate changes in drug demands and the influence of national and societal factors. There was a specific trend in the most popular drugs by decades. In the 1950s, drugs of top necessity were antibiotics and helminthics. In the 1960s, the pharmaceutical industry quickly grew and invigorators, such as Bacchus$^{(R)}$, Alps$^{(R)}$, Aronamin$^{(R)}$, were top manufactured drugs. Popularity of these invigorating drinks and vitamin products continued until the 1990s. In 1990s, sales of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketotop Plaster$^{(R)}$, Trast Patch$^{(R)}$), and in 2000s, gum disease medicine (Insadol$^{(R)}$) and liver and intestine supplement (Ursa$^{(R)}$) were prominent. However, after the separation of prescribing and dispensing in 2000, the sales of OTC drugs decreased dramatically from 58.7% of the total market share in 1990s to 39.6% in 2000 and this trend has continued. In 2012, thirteen OTC drugs were allowed to be sold in convenience stores, and as the sales of health functional foods have been expanding beyond pharmacies, sales of invigorators and nutritional supplements in pharmacies have continued to decrease. As government's drug expenditure will continue to grow, reclassification of OTC drugs based on established safety information and deliberate team efforts on continued development of OTC drugs to meet the health demands of Koreans are required by the healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical industries, and the government.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.513-525
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• 2000

This study was to investigate medication management and the level of awareness about separation of prescribing and dispending at small-to-medium sized workplaces which have less than 300 employees in Korea. The data were collected by questionnaires from May to June in 2000. The number of subjects were 127 workplaces and 130 employees. The SAS PC Program was used for the descriptive statistics. The results are as follows; 1. The over the counter(OTC) drug was provided sufficiently(91.1 %). but medication management was not performed systematically. 2. On drug-providing rate and drug-using rate, the latter was high in the workplace and Health care management's nurses consume all of the over the counter drug provided. 3. When the separation of prescribing and dispending starts, employees shall be medically examined, treated and prescribed by physicians and drugs shall be dispended by pharmacists. It is necessary to make it possible to visit health care institutions whenever they want to. (eg. lunch time or after work) They should change their drug-dependent behaviour. We should focus on strengthening Health Promotion Program to prevent disease by making habitual of health promotion behaviour.