What Is Irrational Prescribing?

According to the WHO, the following constitute irrational prescribing

1. Incorrect prescribing: When wrong drug is prescribed for the patient. It can be due to wrong diagnosis, wrong route of administration, ignorance of drug actions and side effects or inadequate knowledge about the drug.
2. Inappropriate prescribing: It is the non-selection of the most appropriate drug. For example: A costly antibiotic instead of a cheaper one for a common infection.
3. Over prescribing: Prescribing drug that is not needed, prescribing a high dose of the drug or prescribing drug for a longer than needed period.
4. Multiple prescribing: It is the use of a greater number of drugs than needed for treatment, simultaneously.
5. Under prescribing: It includes prescribing inadequate quantity of drug, inadequate period of treatment or failure of prescribing when drug is actually needed.

Requirements of Rational Prescribing

1. Proper knowledge of disease.
2. Proper knowledge of drug including its indications, contraindications, drug interactions, side effects, pharmacokinetics and their costs.
3. Depend only on reliable source of information.
4. Avoid patient pressure on prescription and pharmaceutical pressure on drug selection.