Doctors call for the need to question prescriptions

An All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) study shows that at least 48% patients with a history of stroke are prescribed neuro-protective drugs which are not beneficial. HT reports.

An All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) study shows that at least 48% patients with a history of stroke are prescribed neuro-protective drugs which are not beneficial.

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The prostate cancer screening or mammography done for breast cancer screening have also not shown to have reduced deaths significantly.

At the first International Conference of Evidence- Based Healthcare that starts from Saturday, doctors will discuss the need for patients to question prescriptions.

"The consumers have to be more aware. The patients need to ask the doctor the benefits of prescribed medicines or treatment," said Dr Kameshwar Prasad, professor in the neurology department and an organiser of the meet.

Dr Paul Glasziou, former director of Oxford University's Centre for Evidence- Based Medicine also discussed the futility of hormone therapy for post-menopausal women.

"When studies showed that hormone therapy did more harm than good, as it was responsible for increase in heart attacks, stroke and cancers it came as a shock to a large part of the medical fraternity who had been prescribing the therapy to their patients for decades," he said.

"Although 70% doctors do a job with diagnosis and treatment, there are 30% who make mistakes. For example, the bone marrow transplant for breast cancer patients was such a failed therapy; similarly men may suffer from impotence and incontinence after a prostate cancer surgery that followed from cancer screen," said Dr Glasziou.