Be wary of four common misconceptions when buying and using medicine
In the minds of ordinary people, there is generally an awareness that serious illnesses require a trip to the hospital while minor ones can be resolved with a visit to the pharmacy. For instance, in cases of common colds, fevers, or sore throats, people often prefer to buy medicine from a pharmacy themselves, saving time, effort, and money by avoiding a hospital visit. 120 Health Network reminds us that there are four major misconceptions regarding daily medicine purchasing and usage that the public should be cautious about. Medicine inquiry: http://www.120.net/yaopin/
Misconception One: The more expensive, the better
Some people hold the belief that "cheap goods are never good, and good goods are never cheap," assuming that all expensive medicines must be effective. 120 Health Network reminds us that the price of medicine is determined by various factors such as the difficulty of raw material collection, the complexity of production technology, the size of output, sales scope, and packaging quality. It cannot be equated with the efficacy or quality of the drug.
Misconception Two: The more varieties, the better
Among all the drugs used to treat the same illness, some people, not knowing which one is more effective, buy multiple types, thinking that with more options, there must be one that can cure their condition. This method of medication poses significant risks. Since there are contraindications between different drugs, some may not have severe side effects when taken alone, but if two or several drugs are mixed, they could produce adverse reactions, which might either reduce efficacy or even cause toxicity, leading to accidents. 120 Health Network suggests that apart from doctor's consent or requirement, one should not arbitrarily mix medications.
Misconception Three: The newer, the better
With the rapid development of medical science and technology, new drugs for treating the same illness keep emerging. Many believe that newly developed drugs are the most effective, so they tend to choose new drugs when buying medicine. In fact, most new drugs have only passed the animal testing phase during the research period. Due to the lack of long-term clinical practice, many drawbacks and toxic side effects have not yet fully manifested. Additionally, since new drugs have been on the market for a short time with limited trial users, their pharmacological actions cannot be fully guaranteed.
Misconception Four: Imported drugs are better than domestic ones
120 Health Network points out that although imported drugs have their unique advantages in terms of extraction and production, such as high purity and exquisite packaging, differences in race, physique, and drug sensitivity mean that imported drugs may not necessarily be suitable for Chinese people. Moreover, domestic drugs with similar efficacy to imported ones are much cheaper due to lower costs, sometimes even several times or dozens of times cheaper. Medicine inquiry: http://www.120.net/yaopin/