A recent review observed that with repeated hammering of pharma companies, doctors over prescribe medications. More judicious, rational, careful, or cautious prescribing should be encouraged. The clinicians should have the responsibility of selecting the most clinically effective and safe drug.

Team@CMHF

In striving to relieve suffering and prolong life, we often turn to medications and this desire to help patients with the ‘latest and greatest’ drugs is congruent with the messages and interests of the pharmaceutical industry.

Judicious prescribing is required for safe and appropriate use of medications because medications are one of the most common and important means at clinicians’ disposal to help patients. The review authors present a series of principles to guide more cautious and conservative prescribing, based on recent studies demonstrating problems with widely prescribed drugs.

Conservative prescribing includes practices such as avoiding medications for self-limiting conditions, starting 1 drug at a time, not acquiescing to all patients.
The principles underlying conservative prescribing include, nonpharmaceutical interventions, such as nondrug therapy, treatment or management of the underlying causes, and prevention.

Practice of more strategic prescribing, including deferring or postponing nonurgent drug treatment; avoiding drug switching unless there are clear indications; to remain vigilant for adverse drug effects by having a low threshold to suspect drug reactions; being aware of drug withdrawal syndromes. Be cautious and skeptical regarding new drugs by researching unbiased information; Collaborate with patients to implement a shared agenda by not automatically agreeing to prescribe requested drugs; Consider long-term, broader effects of drugs before prescribing.

Reference: http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/749805?src=cmemp