Challenges
■ The consumer takes the final decision about whether and where to seek health care, what medicine is actually taken , how much and when, and from what source. These decisions are influenced by knowledge, culture, drug promotion and personal finances.
■ Independent drug information and public education about drug use are complicated and costly and have always been underserved and underfunded. They also tend to be organized by NGOs thus with informal networks and objective evaluation of interventions and publication of the results are not easily arranged.
■ Lack of independent drug information and advice. Worldwide, some 50% of people fail to take their medicines correctly. Part of the problem is that self-medication is widespread.
■ Purchases of drugs in certain localities take place in the private sector, where prescribing and selling functions are often combined. Profit motives and pressure to please the patient can lead to over-treatment of mild illnesses, overuse of injections and misuse of anti-infective drugs.