Pakistanis Are Being Prescribed Over Twice the Recommended Medicines

A new study conducted by researchers at Pakistan's Health Services Academy reveals that patients in the country are being prescribed significantly more medications than the recommended limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The research, published in Discover Public Health, analyzed 15 studies spanning from 2013 to 2024 across hospitals and clinics in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and Islamabad.

The study found that patients received an average of 4.2 medicines per prescription, more than double the WHO-recommended range of 1.6 to 1.8 medicines. In one tertiary hospital in Peshawar, the average prescription contained 10.56 medicines, nearly six times the recommended limit. Even the lowest figure recorded was above the WHO limit, with only about 25% of medicines prescribed by their generic names, falling short of the WHO's target of 100%.

Antibiotics were present in 45% of prescriptions on average, exceeding the WHO-recommended range of 20% to 26.8%. Injections were used in more than 27% of prescriptions, surpassing the recommended range of 13.4% to 24.1%, though their usage varied widely between hospitals. Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy and co-author of the study, noted that this prescription pattern is not limited to specific hospitals or cities but is widespread across Pakistan's healthcare system.

Prof. Khan suggested that doctors often prescribe antibiotics and injections without proper testing due to patient demand, believing these medications work faster. He also attributed the low use of generic medicines to pharmaceutical marketing and the perception among some doctors and patients that generics are less effective than branded alternatives, despite lacking scientific evidence.

The study recommends regular monitoring of prescribing practices, feedback for prescribers, and consequences for those repeatedly violating the rules. It also calls for collaborative efforts from the government, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and doctors' associations to address the issue. Without such coordinated action, Prof. Khan warned, patients will continue to receive unnecessary medications, and the effectiveness of antibiotics will decline.