Generic drugs: a study on awareness among medical students and interns

Background: Use of generic drugs and its availability is one of the less discussed topics in the medical education but at the same time holds a lot of importance in providing affordable health care to the general public.Methods: All 150 II MBBS students and 80 interns who were willing were included in the study. After explaining the aims and objectives and obtaining the informed consent, a set of 14 semi structured questionnaire were given to the students through an online link. A total duration of 15 minutes was given to complete the questionnaire and submit to prevent bias.Results: Most of the students 98 (75.4%) believe that generic drugs are non-inferior to branded drugs compared to interns 33 (49.3%) who are still doubtful about its efficacy (p=0.0003). Most of the students 101 (77.7%) and interns 52 (77.6%) think that composition, dose and indications are same as branded drugs (p=0.987). 75 (57.7%) students and 25 (37.3%) of interns know that generic medicines are marketed only after the expiry of patent period of innovator drug (p=0.005). About 102 (78.5%) students and 44 (65.7%) interns prefer to prescribe generic drugs to their patients (p=0.061). Only 34 (26.2%) students and few interns 19 (28.4%) knew about jan aushadhi sugam app (p=0.744).Conclusions: Lack of awareness about the jan aushadhi sugam app and location of nearby generic stores was acting as the main hindrance in optimal utilization of generic drugs

The risks for thromboembolism following caesarean section

Background: Maternal mortality can be due to various reasons. Maternal mortality following thromboembolism is a cause for concern. Venous thromboembolism is a very serious condition following caesarean section. Thromboprophylaxis should be given to the mothers with high risk for thromboembolism, who deliver by caesarean section. The objective of this study was to do to assess the risk status for thromboembolism among women delivered by caesarean section.Methods: A hospital based cross- sectional study was conducted among four hundred mothers who delivered by caesarean section. The study was conducted for a period of eight months from January to August 2017. The risks for thromboembolism was assessed and as per the guideline and hospital policy, thromboprophylaxis was given.Results: Out of four hundred patients, medical comorbidities were present for three patients. Patients who were overweight were 122. Two had systemic infection. The number of patients with high, intermediate and low risk of venous thromboembolism were 4,65 and 331.Conclusions: The study suggests that thromboprophylaxis is to be given for all the patients with any risk for thromboembolism, after caesarean section

A cross sectional questionnaire based study on self medication practice of analgesics among MBBS students at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Background: Self medication with analgesics is prevalent worldwide due to easy procurement of over the counter drugs. Present study was done to assess knowledge, attitude, practice and perception of self medication of analgesics among MBBS students at Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 5th term MBBS students of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru in November 2019.  A pre-designed validated questionnaire was used to collect information on knowledge, attitude, practice and perception of self medication of analgesics. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: 83.3 % of 5th term MBBS students practiced self medication with analgesics. Majority of students had some knowledge on self medication with analgesics. Common reason for using analgesic self medication was headache (59.7%) and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (90%) were commonly used analgesics. Analgesics were used for quick relief (73.3%) and source of information was from medical textbooks (61.6%). Students stopped taking analgesics after symptoms disappeared (75%). Students agreed that self medication is acceptable for medical students (63.3%) and medical license is required for better administration of drugs (51.3%).Conclusions: This study has found that self medication with analgesics was common among undergraduate medical students for minor illness. It is necessary to create awareness and educate students regarding dangers of analgesic self medication

A comparative study on self-medication practice of analgesics among MBBS students of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru

Background: Self-medication with analgesics is prevalent worldwide among medical students due to easy availability of drugs and may lead to irrational usage of drugs. To assess knowledge, attitude, practice and perception of self-medication of analgesics.Methods: A comparative study on self-medication of analgesics was conducted on 3rd and 5th term Bachelor of medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru in November 2019. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect information on self-medication with analgesics.Results: 74.5% of 3rd term and 65.5% of 5th term MBBS students practiced self-medication with analgesics. Majority of students in both groups had some knowledge on self-medication with analgesics. Common condition for using analgesic self-medication was headache (75.8%, 59.7%, p=0.0172) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (80.6%, 90%, p=0.0780) were commonly used analgesics. Analgesics were used for quick relief (67.7%, 73.3%, p=0.4512) and students in group II referred medical textbooks as a source of information for practicing self-medication with analgesics (22.5%, 61.6%, p<0.001). Students agreed that self-medication is acceptable for medical students (45.8%, 43%, p=0.045) and medical license is required for better administration of drugs (51.3%, 63.2%, p=0.225).Conclusions: This study has found that self-medication with analgesics was common among MBBS students for minor illness. It is necessary to create awareness and educate students regarding the hazards of self-medication

Microbial conversion of major ginsenoside Rb1 to minor ginsenoside Rd by Indian fermented food bacteria

Ginsenoside Rb1 is the predominant secondary metabolite (saponin) in Panax ginseng. Hydrolysis of the sugar residues in Rb1 yields more pharmaceutically active ginsenosides like Rd, Rg3, F2, Rh2 andC-K. Among them, the minor ginsenoside Rd enhances the differentiation of neural stem cells, protects neurons from neurotoxic chemicals, decreases urea nitrogen and creatinine in kidney. It also protects the kidney from apoptosis and DNA fragmentation caused by cancer and chemical drugs and is more useful therapeutically than the major ginsenoside Rb1. Bacteria showing b-glucosidase activity were isolated from fermented Indian food using esculin-MRS agar. Bacteria from Amla in sugar syrup and Boiled Amla in jaggery syrup converted ginsenoside Rb1 to minor ginsenoside Rd. TLC and HPLC analysis showed that with increase in incubation time the conversion of Rb1 to Rd also increased. The 16s rDNA sequence was determined and the bacteria showed 93% sequence similarity to Brumimicrobium mesophilum

Assessment on awareness of rational prescribing practices among medical interns in a tertiary care hospital: a questionnaire based study

Background: Awareness about rational use of Medicines is required to improve the quality of health care system. Attitude towards rational drug use is also an utmost importance as they constitute the future generation doctors.Methods: A set of 13 questionnaire is given to the interns through an online link to their e-mail which contains informed consent and questionnaires. Respondents has to select the best suitable option and after which the data will be compiled and statistically analyzed.Results: Age of the study participants range from 22-26yrs. Half of them have finished major postings. Almost 96.1 % of them were aware of the term essential drugs. Only 25% of them said that they have NLEMI at work place, 75% of them were aware of the term Rational use of Medicines. Only 32% of them were aware of the term P drugs. 44% of them were aware of STEP criteria for selection of drug and 47% of them were aware of the updated prescribing format. 8% knew the difference between old and new prescription format, 25% of them always prescribe. Almost 82% of them narrate regarding the disease and drug therapy, 31% of them prescribe only generic name.Conclusions: Educational intervention like CME and practical hands on training in Rational use of Medicines would help them in better understanding of the subject and its clinical implications thereby decreasing the prescribing errors

Crown dilacerations - Two case reports

Crown dilaceration is a relatively abnormal clinical finding when compared to root dilacerations. The incidence of crown dilacerations is stated to be as low as 3%. This report presents two cases of crown dilacerations in two different locations. A brief review of the literature pertinent to the condition, and the clinical and radiological features of this rarer entity are discussed

Eye of horus – Erratum revealed a prescription survey

Background: The aim of this study was to survey the quality and the content of prescription of practitioners and also assess the legibility of alphabet, and short form of the drug.Methods: A survey of all prescription received by the patients that were written by general practitioners, consulting physicians and dentists in and around Virajpet and Madikeri (south Coorg) was included.The prescriptions were photocopied and returned back to the patients. The prescription was scored and analyzed by a qualified medical investigator.Results: A total of 171 prescription samples were collected. In most prescriptions, one or more aspects of patient’s personal details were missing. Concerned doctor’s details also lacked in most cases. 40.3% of the prescriptions were obtained wherein short form of the drug was used for prescribing drug. Legibility of alphabet was also evaluated and the most confusing letter noted in our study was letter “C”; followed by A, T, S, O, G, and D in this study the letter Rx was written in 7% of the prescription and in 19% prescription it was replaced by word “Adv” and 74% of prescription without symbol of Rx.Conclusions: The present data shows most prescriptions in the study was inadequate and important details were lacking, legibility of prescription was poor in rating

Response to comment on "Human-specific gain of function in a developmental enhancer"

Duret and Galtier argue that human-specific sequence divergence and gain of function in the HACNS1 enhancer result from deleterious biased gene conversion (BGC) with no contribution from positive selection. We reinforce our previous conclusion by analyzing hypothesized BGC events genomewide and assessing the effect of recombination rates on human-accelerated conserved noncoding sequence ascertainment. We also provide evidence that AT → GC substitution bias can coexist with positive selection

Laboratory testing trends for respiratory syncytial virus, 2007–2011

AbstractBackgroundAntigen detection tests have been the most common diagnostic assay used to detect and diagnose respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The utility and increased sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been reported; however, their use in US hospital laboratories is not well characterized.ObjectiveTo describe changes in RSV test types used by US hospital-affiliated laboratories, focusing on PCR testing prevalence.Study designData were collected from 480 to 666 laboratories each RSV season (2007–2008 through 2010–2011) across 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. A descriptive analysis was conducted using this convenience sample of RSV tests conducted from November to April each season. Total numbers and types of RSV tests performed were reported weekly and weekly proportions by test type were calculated. Kendall τ rank correlation was used to quantify associations between time and proportions of each test type.ResultsPCR tests accounted for 2%, 3%, 16%, and 21% of weekly tests (total range, 381,068–481,654 over 4 seasons) conducted each season from 2007 to 2011, respectively. The proportion of laboratories reporting ≥1 PCR tests was 4%, 5%, 10%, and 16%, respectively. Decreases in antigen testing and viral culture were similarly observed.ConclusionsAlthough antigen detection was the predominant test type reported in the sample of US hospital laboratories for RSV testing, PCR use increased to >20% of tests reported. These results demonstrate the increasing contribution of PCR to RSV surveillance. RSV surveillance systems relying solely on antigen detection results will not capture an increasing proportion of RSV test results