Use And Importance Of Self-Medication Assessed

Results of new research carried out by SRA show that 68% of consumers agree that they are taking greater responsibility for treating minor illness themselves, rather than going to a doctor, Colston Herbert, president of Sterling Health Europe and newly-elected president of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, told the recent 30th annual conference of the European Proprietary Medicines Manufacturers' Association.

According to the SRA study, said Mr Herbert, the prompts for a visit to a general practitioner were reported as a worsening of symptoms (70%), having the symptom for a few days (19%) and that a medicine purchased did not work after three days (10%). 70% of respondents said they would be less likely to go to their GP if they had information about how to self-treat common ailments.

Consumers were also asked when they would use the pharmacist for advice. The main reasons were to choose the right medicine (37%) and to save time by not going to the doctor (25%). Those using the pharmacist to save time were predominantly in the 21-54 age range, both males and females, and in employment.