As a community Pharmacist, which guideline or resource do you follow for differential diagnosis of common ailments like common cold, allergic rhinitis, and other mild cases ? As well as the established pathway for OTC products to recommend in each of the above mentioned cases ? Do you follow "handbook of nonprescription drugs" or " community pharmacy symptoms diagnosis and treatment" or both combined or something else ?
I am a physician so don't need OTC in public its so common that almost every patients comes with some thing purchased and used as OTC for 1-2 days.
Hi Mostafa,
Not sure if this would be relevant where you are, but in Australia this is a highly recommended book:
https://www.booktopia.com.au/community-pharmacy-newby/prod9780729542043.html?source=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtJbTBRDkARIsAIA0a5OKIkantfNqMvwbJOkdZOBNpNjs48SXZjxGIpYprgv-dDz5bwDsPQcaAkYJEALw_wcB
Simply, have a look for WHO guidelines for both over the counter drugs (OTC) and drugs prescribed by the pharmacist.
There are no guidelines or standards widely accepted for OTC medicines used in community pharmacies, as minor illnesses vary from one region to another. However, you may follow the WHO's brief guidance as you wish. In the UK, three reference books have been used by most pharmacy students and pharmacists:
1. Symptoms in the pharmacy: a guide to the management of common illness. 7th ed. Blenkinsopp A, Paxton P, Blenkinsopp J. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell; 2014.
*** This book is recommended for pharmacy students and pharmacists, as it provides many good disease and medication points, esp. when to refer patients.
2. Community pharmacy: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. 4th ed. Rutter P. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2017.
*** Professor Rutter is an experienced community pharmacist himself and he spent many years writing this book to meet all purposes.
3. Minor illness or major disease. 6th ed. Addison B, Brown A, Edwards R, Gray G. London: Pharmaceutical Press; 2016.
*** It is interesting to see some OTC and P medicines used for both minor and major diseases.
Hope this helps.
Dr Win
You better look nationally developed list of OTC drugs for your country by minister of health or food and drug regulatory bodies and if possible you can also use WHO guidelines for OTC drugs
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