Curing conditions with Watson's Compliance Packs

MANILA, Philippines - Doctors are the most qualified professionals to guide patients on what medications they need to take for their respective conditions and ailments. So it is never wise to rely on one’s own judgment or the advice of relatives and friends when buying medicine.

Chronic diseases are a global burden. They are the largest cause of mortality the world over. Leading chronic diseases like cardiovascular illnesses, cancer, chronic respiratory ailments, and diabetes have caused 29 million deaths globally.

Despite a growing health and economic impact, the global response to this seemingly burgeoning problem remains inadequate.

In Third World countries like the Philippines, where health care systems are not easily accessible, the problem is escalated exponentially. About 10.5 million Filipinos have been found to be hypertensive, while an estimated four million are diagnosed with diabetes. What’s alarming is that these conditions rank among today’s killer diseases.

A personal matter

Self-medication of antibiotics without or against a doctor’s advice poses a big problem. Due to lack of knowledge, some people are wont to believe that all medications are the same, or that if a certain type worked for a relative or friend, the same will work for them, too.

Some people also recycle their doctor’s old prescriptions and take the same ones even if their ailments are different this time around.

There are appropriate antibiotics for specific kinds of illnesses. Taking the wrong type may fail to address the conditions inside the body. Eventually, the surviving bacteria may develop resistance to future medications.

When taking medications, compliance is the key. Finish the entire dosage as prescribed by your doctor.

People diagnosed with chronic illnesses like hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol levels) must change their lifestyles from how it used to be; now with more restrictions in dietary intake and strenuous activities, as well as the additional “pillbox” needed for the medicine they will have to take regularly for the rest of their lives.

For those recently diagnosed, the shift to embrace an altogether new lifestyle won’t be easy, aside from a possible sense of denial at the onset. The need to comply with a medication routine as a new habit may be difficult to adopt as part of the new daily routine.

The problem escalates further when patients know they need medicine — even consulting physicians for prescriptions — yet, they don’t buy the whole prescribed number at once because they think it is more expensive. Thus, they miss out on the dosage of maintenance medicine by not purchasing the full dosage required in the first place.

Wrong assessment of one’s wellness

Some people believe that once they feel better, they are already cured and thus okay to stop taking maintenance medicine. This is a wrong conception. Even if a person starts to feel better, there are still surviving bad bacteria in the body. Failure to continue dosages will allow complications.

Another reason is lack of money to purchase the complete dosage of a prescribed set of medicine. Patients who try to save on medicine may scrimp on their purchases and buy only as much as they can afford. When they run out of money, they stop buying.

Some don’t understand that they are only wasting money when they self-medicate or take medicine in wrong doses, as these practices make their health worse. Taking the wrong or incomplete dosage will promote the development of drug-resistant strains that would lead to more serious health threats to themselves.

Happy and healthy living can be easy with Compliance Packs. “It’s high time for patients to take charge of their health/well-being and be disciplined in managing their illnesses. Through this program, we want to build awareness on medication compliance as a vital tool for therapeutic health, especially when it comes to chronic conditions. This is because, despite having these illnesses, it’s still possible for patients to enjoy healthier, quality lives,” said health business unit director Lyle Morell.

Among the key elements on successfully managing chronic ailments, especially on cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, are the affordability of clinically proven primary maintenance medications and the availability of these medicine to ensure uninterrupted treatment.

Prescription minuses can worsen one’s illnesses and make it difficult for patients to cope with complications, so they have the Compliance Packs, which makes managing their respective health issues easier and hassle-free.

While doctors prescribe the dosage and amount of medicine to be taken, patients, however, tend to lapse purchase and eventually miss the required dosage to make them better.

Awareness and education on the chronicity of a disease, its complications if not controlled, the need for lifestyle modification (especially on practical diet and nutrition) coupled with physical activity encouragement are parameters that needs to be addressed by each individual concern.

Finally, cure within reach

Pharmacy retail chain Watson’s and pharmaceutical manufacturer Unilab are launching a joint campaign to teach and promote compliance. The advocacy seeks to enlighten and empower Filipino consumers. Watson’s has competent and knowledgeable pharmacists who can give consumers advice on the proper medications. Those who need additional medication advice on how to properly use those prescribed to them may conveniently consult their Watson’s pharmacists.

Unilab, on the other hand, will complement this effort by providing consumers with high-quality and effective formulations at lower prices. This is good news for Filipinos who need effective treatment for illnesses. The lower prices also make it easier for consumers to continue ongoing doses.

The price of each Watson’s Compliance Pack is 80 percent less than leading brands and 17 percent much less than those bought on retail (tingi-tingi).

And since the packs are manufactured by Unilab, consumers are given assurance of gold standard, quality formulations. Already sold in packs as prescribed by doctors, it therefore minimizes the chances of missing a dose.

Compliance Packs alleviate the negative effects to lives of those suffering from chronic diseases in the country and account for one of the first concrete steps to get better the affordable way.

What’s more, each Compliance Pack contains product leaflets that contain valuable information on the disease/illness, as well as sensible tips on how to stay healthy, thus avoiding further complications.

The joint campaign between Unilab and Watson’s Pharmacy has a two-pronged approach: the former provides the medicine supply while the latter provides the knowledge and consultation platform regarding its proper use. This not only helps more people get cured but also prevents conditions to worsen.

Exclusively available at Watson’s, the Compliance Packs consists of medicine specially packed in quantities commonly prescribed by doctors for treatment of such conditions as hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

The packs not only increase awareness among new users and non-consulting consumers but also minimize the chance of missed doses.

Watson’s Pharmacy, the purveyor in a number of compliance categories, through its Compliance Pack advocacy, drumbeats these efforts as part of the global Watson’s Care Corp. campaign.

It is a pioneer in educating consumers on the compliance of medications for wellness and well-being. For more information, log on to www.watsons.com.ph.