Almost all pharmacies sell superfluous cold-prophylaxis drugs

Sample at pharmacies revealed that many sell unnecessary drugs

Especially in the autumn and winter, many people fear to get a cold. They often try to prevent such a disease by strengthening their defenses. For this they often go to the pharmacy. However, they are often given bad advice and not infrequently they leave the pharmacy with superfluous medicines. Experts from the economic and consumer magazine Markt come to this conclusion after a random sample.

Actually, a consultation in the pharmacy should mean that people can then go home without questions or ambiguities, but with the right medication. However, a sample of the German market magazine NDR Fernsehen showed that many people in pharmacies are ill-advised and also often receive superfluous medicines. Almost all of the sample pharmacies were doing good business by selling such medicines. Unfortunately, consideration for patients often seems to fall by the wayside.

Pharmacy test purchases now show that nine out of ten pharmacies in a sample are selling superfluous drugs for cold prevention. (Image: benjaminnolte / fotolia.com)

Autumn and winter is virus time

Especially in autumn and winter there are many diseases due to viruses. Apparently, pharmacies often use a flawed advice on cold defense, so as to sell superfluous drugs. In the random sample of the NDR, nine out of ten pharmacies recommended such preparations for cold protection.

Pharmacies sold superfluous products in nine out of ten cases

The business and consumer magazine Markt always tested the pharmacies with the same question: "I am healthy, but I would like to protect myself in the cold period from infection," said the press release of the NDR. In nine out of ten cases, the consultation concluded that sufferers should take preparations to protect themselves against a cold and to strengthen the immune system.

If you are well, you need no prophylactic

In the press release of the NDR advises the general practitioner dr. Martin Scherer of the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf expressly from such means of prophylaxis. With a cold, there are a variety of bacteria. It does not make sense to stimulate the immune system unspecifically here, explains Dr. med. Clipper. When a person is well, there is little need for further optimization. Offered products from pharmacies lead to a so-called non-specific activation of the immune system. so the doctor. In other words, there are no reliable efficacy records for these products.

Test buyers paid up to 50 euros for unnecessary products

During the test purchases, the buyers paid between 6.75 euros and almost 50 euros per pharmacy. This money can be saved from the point of view of pharmacologists. "It's a sale of products that have little to do with the immune system, and so in most cases it's profiteering," explains pharmacologist Gerd Glaeske in the NDR press release. Such remedies are not good for protection against colds. "The preparations are expensive, but very doubtful in their effectiveness," adds Glaeske.

Take care when taking supplements

Just so-called dietary supplements are intended only for people who suffer due to illness or by a long-lasting malnutrition of certain deficiency symptoms. An intake should be discussed with a doctor.

Children should be extra cautious when taking supplements

In pharmacies, dietary supplements for children (mostly zinc) were also frequently sold during test purchases. In seven out of ten pharmacies, the operators sold such supplements. Not only are these funds superfluous for children, but they can also have dangerous effects, say the experts. "Especially in the growth phase, we do not recommend unspecific stimulation of the immune system, especially because hypersensitivity can be induced, and therefore I would recommend being cautious in general", explains Dr. med. Martin Scherer from the UKE.

Pharmacies have a duty to advise

Pharmacists are legally obliged to advise their customers. A so-called detailed customer consultation is mandatory according to the pharmacy operating rules since 1 June 2012. "The professional organizations of pharmacists are very interested in providing good advice in the local pharmacies and continuously improving the quality of advice. But with about 20,000 pharmacies with 150,000 employees and about 3.6 million patient contacts daily, we can not of course guarantee that every single consultation case runs to its full satisfaction, "wrote the Federal Association of German Pharmacist Associations (ABDA) on request from Markt.

Only one pharmacy sold no unnecessary products during the sample

In the sample, there was only one pharmacy, which sold no products at all. Instead, various rules for healthy lifestyles were recommended. You should therefore pay attention to a balanced diet, fresh air and exercise. In addition, you should wash your hands more often, because cold viruses are transmitted mainly through the hands. In the so-called cold period can be dispensed with the greetings and the adoption of a handshake. Generally, larger crowds should be shunned and sick people should be avoided, according to expert advice. Also, the avoidance of stress was mentioned as another important point in the prevention of colds. (As)