TO SAVE $$, PEOPLE ARE TAKING PET MEDICINES!
IN A troubling trend, more and more people are using their pets’ medications to treat their own illnesses! Apart from using medicines prescribed for household pets, a study found online reviews showed some Americans are taking fish antibiotics rather than see their doctor — all in an attempt to save money!
Fish antibiotics are readily available online with no prescription and are cheaper than drugs developed for humans.
But pet medications could contain ingredients harmful to humans and self-medication could delay proper treatment, says study co-author P. Brandon Bookstaver, a pharmacist and director of residency at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.
What’s more, there’s much less official oversight for pet medications and no firm guarantee the products contain the labeled medication and have the stated strength.
“Taking any prescription drug without a proper diagnosis from a healthcare practitioner can be dangerous,” comments
Michael Ganio,
PharmD, MS, BCPS, FASHP, the director of pharmacy practice and quality at the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
“Antibiotics should be carefully selected based on a patient’s symptoms and medical history, including allergies.” He adds: “Patients should only take prescription drugs that have been prescribed to them by a qualified, licensed practitioner and dispensed from a licensed pharmacy.”
Experts warn against consuming drugs meant for animals