Irrational or non irrational use of drugs

• Irrational or non-rational use is the use of medicines in away that is not compliant with rational use.

• This incorrect use may take the form of overuse, underuse and misuse of prescription or non-prescription medicines.

Irrational use of medicines is a serious public health problem worldwide and can be seen as:

a.  use of too many medicines per patient;

(b) inappropriate use of antimicrobials, often in inadequate

     dosage and insufficient duration;

(c) overuse of injections when oral medication would be more appropriate;

(d) failure to prescribe in accordance with clinical guidelines including standard treatment guidelines and prescribing policy; and

(e) inappropriate self-medication, often of prescription-only medicines.