“Medicines are not ordinary products, do not take them lightly”. Since Wednesday, June 7, the National Agency for Medicines (ANSM) has been warning against the abuse of medicines, of which the French are the largest consumers in Europe. A 2021 study by the ANSM shows, for example, that almost one in three French people believe that exceeding the expiration date is not necessarily dangerous.
“I happened to take an expired medicine, look at the box and say to myself: “Okay, it will still work,” the retiree admits in the TF1 report at the beginning of this article. However, this may not be effective and patients are exposed to unwanted and sometimes dangerous side effects.
What are the risks?
The same is true when you do not comply with the dose or duration of prescribed medications, including the most harmless ones, such as paracetamol. Three out of ten French people have this bad habit. But few seem to realize the implications of this practice. “Let’s take paracetamol as an example, which everyone has in their closet. If you increase the dose within 48 hours, you may have potential liver damage.”says Sabine Levy, a pharmacist from Paris.
Therefore, the administration of the drug must be adapted for each patient. In addition, this study highlights that every second person has already treated a loved one with the same symptoms. To avoid this, the ANSM reminds in particular that medicines should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor or on the advice of a pharmacist.
“And it is not recommended by a relative or acquaintance or even someone from their family. Because you always have the benefit of the drug, but you also always have risks. And so you constantly look at the report on the patient’s condition and if you move the parameter or you do not comply with it, you are violating this report”warns Christel Ratinier-Carbonnel, CEO of ANSM.
- SURVEY – Fake prescriptions: pharmacies face drug traffickers
To avoid waste or overconsumption, France could draw inspiration from some countries, such as the United States, where medicines are sold by the box. But today, only 10% of professionals practice this sale.
All
TF1 News
-
1After Lilibeth’s cautious birthday party, the Windsors welcome a new royal baby.
-
2June 6 strike against pension reform: mobilization figures
-
3LIVE – War in Ukraine: ‘Deaths’ due to dam collapse, says Zelensky adviser
-
4Tick bites: the map shows the most affected regions of France
-
5BEFORE/AFTER – The destruction of the Kakhovka dam: spectacular satellite images of the Dnieper flood
-
6LIVE – June 6 strike: 281,000 demonstrators in France according to Bovo, 900,000 for CGT
-
7Marseille: A man wounded by bullets takes cover in a mosque before being dragged out and killed.
-
8VIDEO – Bad weather: two weeks of thunderstorms and destruction in the south
-
9Mystery in Mexico where hundreds of teenagers faint
-
10Pope Francis underwent emergency surgery under general anesthesia due to the risk of intestinal obstruction.
-
1VIDEO – Parade of pink flamingos in the Camargue: and besides, why are they pink?
-
2Seine-Maritime: Disturbing disappearance of 63-year-old woman, call for witnesses begins
-
3VIDEO – Getting in shape this summer is a matter of good advice and (a little) willpower
-
4Lindsey case: University administration files complaint after threats against college staff
-
5Transfer market: France’s Ngolo Kante joins Karim Benzema in Saudi Arabia
-
6LIVE – Pensions: Cockerell ‘regrets’ Brown-Pivet’s decision to block review of repeal measure
-
7VIDEO – “I can’t work anymore”: the anger of the victims of the urban rodeo in Bordeaux
-
8VIDEO – Your most beautiful market in 2023: Yvetote market, Normandy fish specialist
-
9War in Ukraine: Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of the explosion of the ammonia pipeline in the Kharkov region
-
10VIDEO – Destinations, budget… What the French are planning for the summer holidays
-
1Tick bites: the map shows the most affected regions of France
-
2In this photo, “blood samples from vaccinated people”: should we care?
-
3Covid-19: link between severe illness and undetected cancer?
-
4Back Pain: The Chiropractor Is Rarely Responsible for Pain After Appointment
-
5Tick bite: what are the first symptoms of Lyme disease?
-
6Overdose, self-medication, expiration date… ANSM urges not to do anything with drugs
-
7World No Tobacco Day: These countries are on track to eliminate cigarettes
-
8Flu, heat… Increased mortality in France at the highest level in three years
-
9Sun: don’t forget to prep your skin for a safe tan
-
10SURVEY – Fake prescriptions: pharmacies face drug traffickers
Source: TF1