ANSM warns about the appropriate use of drugs

Along with the British and Germans, the French are among the biggest drug users in Europe. Especially to inform them about the correct use of therapy. The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) is launching an information campaign on the correct use of medicines on Wednesday, June 7. A “A major public health concern, an individual issue, as misuse can have detrimental effects on the patient and societal issue as a result of the human and economic cost”ANSM Director General Christelle Ratignier-Carbonille emphasized at a press conference held on Tuesday, June 6.

Dose, frequency, duration of treatment, purpose, interaction, storage… The idea is to make the general public aware that if drugs are an everyday product, other products are not. Here comes the message: “Medications are not ordinary products, do not take them lightly”, which will be rejected through four visual, video and audio messages on the Internet, YouTube and social networks. This time ANSM targets all populations; In June 2021, she launched a campaign targeting pregnant women.

To support her message, Christelle Ratignier-Carbonille revealed the results of a survey entitled “Uses and Behaviors Related to Prescribing, Dispensing and Taking Medicines” conducted in 2022 by Viavoice for the ANSM. We learn that three out of ten French people adapt the dose or duration of the medicine they are prescribed, that one in five take higher doses or several medicines at the same time in order to relieve symptoms more quickly. Almost one in two French people give medicine to a loved one because they have the same symptoms, and even one in ten do it systematically or often. A potentially dangerous gesture in certain cases: Ibuprofen or aspirin, for example, are prohibited for several categories of people, especially pregnant women.

“Perceived as a normal product”

Two out of three French people also keep unused medicines for the next time. Finally, 34% consider it quite risky or not at all to take a drug that has expired. However, an expired or poorly stored product may lose its effectiveness or become contaminated with bacteria.

Among 18- to 24-year-olds, one in three forget to take their medication and one in five take higher doses or use multiple medications at the same time. “We really need to understand what is a drug and what is not”asserts M.^I Ratignier-Carbonneil.