Approach to self-medication for COVID-19 by the family and community physician

• Autor(a) principal: Costa, Waldemir de Albuquerque
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Carvalho, Natalia de Campos, Coelho, Pedro Alexandre Barreto
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Medicina de Família e Comunidade (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.rbmfc.org.br/rbmfc/article/view/2880
• topic: Self Medication; Coronavirus Infections; Primary Health Care; Family Practice; Automedicación; Infecciones por Coronavirus; Atención Primaria de Salud; Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria; Automedicação; Infecções por Coronavirus; Atenção Primária à Saúde; Medicina de Família e Comunidade

Introduction: Self-medication for COVID-19 is considered an emerging problem, and it reflects an infodemic and growth of the disease in Brazil. Accordingly, primary health care (PHC), where most of the access of mild and moderate cases of COVID-19 occurs, has been shown to be a special place for approaching patients using these drugs irrationally. Objective: To discuss questions about self-medication for COVID-19, addressing particularities of the work of the family and community physician and the perspectives for these professionals in a scenario of great political-health tensions. Methods: This was a theoretical study based on the premises of the rational use of medicines (RUM) and evidence-based medicine to put forward a proposal for the performance of family physicians in the light of the main documents and regulations produced on the treatment of COVID-19 in the country. Results: Through the theoretical framework, two main strategies were presented for addressing cases of self-medication for COVID-19: one from an individual point of view, which involves the prescription of these drugs through an understanding agreed between the family physician and the patient; and one of a systemic nature, linked to the fight against the illegal sale of medicines for treating COVID-19 in the area where this professional works. Conclusions: Political disputes over the pandemic still go on and should persist for a long time in Brazil. It is up to health professionals and society as a whole to defend RUM and combat the use of unnecessary, ineffective, unsafe or potentially inappropriate medicines in the treatment of COVID-19, thus safe-guarding life and good use of the population's resources.