Detox myth is putting people at risk of harm, new survey reveals

Mon, Nov 07, 2011 01:00 CET

The risks and benefits of many common medicines are widely misunderstood, shows new research by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). Published at the start of Ask Your Pharmacist Week (7-13thNovember), the findings show that many people think it is right to give your body an occasional ‘detox’ from long term medication. Doing this can allow a disease to become uncontrolled and risks devastating complications.

The risks and benefits of many common medicines are widely misunderstood, shows new research by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). Published at the start of Ask Your Pharmacist Week (7-13thNovember), the findings show that many people think it is right to give your body an occasional ‘detox’ from long term medication. Doing this can allow a disease to become uncontrolled and risks devastating complications.

The NPA survey of over 1000 UK adults finds:

One in five thinks that it can be beneficial to give your body a medicines ‘detox’, by occasionally stopping taking your regular medicines for a long term medical condition. Doing this can seriously impair health. For someone with diabetes, asthma or depression, the results of doing so can be catastrophic.
Nearly a third of people think it is OK to take non-prescription medicines that have been specifically recommended for someone else. In fact, this can be dangerous, even with common cough and cold remedies
Others think that it is OK to give adult medication to a child, so long as the dosage is reduced – an incorrect and potentially dangerous belief
A quarter thinks, incorrectly, that aspirin is just a weaker version of Ibuprofen. For some people, making the wrong selection of pain killer risks harm
50% of people think the flu vaccine can cause flu. This is a longstanding myth that could stop some people who are in ‘at-risk’ categories from getting the protection they need
Millions of us could be using out of date medications. One in ten admits to never checking that medicines are still in date. Medicines can become increasingly less effective once they pass their expiry date.

Meanwhile, a new NHS service in which pharmacists help people with long term conditions to understand their medicines better and discuss side effects was launched across England in October.

Leyla Hannbeck, Head of Information at the NPA said:

“There is a lot of misunderstanding about how medicines work in your body. It’s important to get the right treatment and the right advice – which you can get from your local pharmacy, often without an appointment. Most pharmacies now have consultation areas where you can sit down and talk with the pharmacist without being overheard.

“We are especially concerned that people with long term conditions may feel it is right to ‘detox’ from time to time by taking a break from their prescribed medicines. For someone with, say, asthma, diabetes or depression, the result of doing so can be catastrophic.

“The benefits of a frank and full conversation with a pharmacist about your medicines can be enormous - you’ll get the most out of your medicine and you’re also less likely to suffer harm through inappropriate use. Ask any questions you may have, no matter how trivial you think they are. When you go into your local pharmacy, remember you can access a package of care there, not just packets of pills. There is expert health and wellbeing advice and a range of services that you might not even know are there.”

Ask Your Pharmacist Week aims to raise awareness of the range of services and expert advice available to people on their doorstep in pharmacies. For more information visit www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk

For further information, please contact the NPA Press Office on 01727 795901 or 07920 203 051, or email s.white@npa.co.uk.

The research for the survey was carried out online by Opinion Matters between 21/07/2011 – 25/07/2011 amongst a panel of 1083 UK adult respondents. The NPA is the UK’s leading trade body for community pharmacy. Its core purpose is to represent, support and protect the interests of all community pharmacy across the UK.

Detox myth is putting people at risk of harm, new survey reveals

The NPA survey of over 1000 UK adults finds:

Nearly a third of people think it is OK to take non-prescription medicines that have been specifically recommended for someone else. In fact, this can be dangerous, even with common cough and cold remedies

Others think that it is OK to give adult medication to a child, so long as the dosage is reduced – an incorrect and potentially dangerous belief

A quarter thinks, incorrectly, that aspirin is just a weaker version of Ibuprofen. For some people, making the wrong selection of pain killer risks harm

50% of people think the flu vaccine can cause flu. This is a longstanding myth that could stop some people who are in ‘at-risk’ categories from getting the protection they need

Millions of us could be using out of date medications. One in ten admits to never checking that medicines are still in date. Medicines can become increasingly less effective once they pass their expiry date.

Meanwhile, a new NHS service in which pharmacists help people with long term conditions to understand their medicines better and discuss side effects was launched across England in October.

Leyla Hannbeck, Head of Information at the NPA said:

“We are especially concerned that people with long term conditions may feel it is right to ‘detox’ from time to time by taking a break from their prescribed medicines. For someone with, say, asthma, diabetes or depression, the result of doing so can be catastrophic.

Ask Your Pharmacist Week aims to raise awareness of the range of services and expert advice available to people on their doorstep in pharmacies. For more information visit www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk