Self-Medication: A Shortcut That Can Cost Lives

Self-medication has nowadays become a normal part of everyday life. A headache, fever, stomach pain or cough is often treated without medical advice, with people relying on old prescriptions, suggestions from friends or medicines recommended at a pharmacy counter. What appears to be a convenient shortcut can, however, turn into a serious threat to public health.

The problem is not limited to occasional use of an over-the-counter tablet. Increasingly, people are taking antibiotics, painkillers, steroids and other potent medicines without understanding their dosage, side effects or interaction…