Kadir Alam

Initiation of social pharmacy research in Nepal: our experiences.

Nepal experiences several medicine-use problems like any other developing country. In the recent years, there have been initiatives to introduce the concept of social pharmacy in Nepal, and there has been only a limited research in this area. The staff members at the Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara have shown keen interest in initiating several social pharmacy-related researches in the country. The members of this institute have been collaborating with two international universities, namely Universiti Sains Malaysia located in Malaysia and Chulalongkorn University located in Thailand, to get academic and technical supports. In this manuscript, the authors share their experiences in initiating social pharmacy research in the country. Authors have also mentioned the priority areas of social pharmacy research in Nepal and the importance of initiating this concept in the country.

Role of Zinc in childhood diarrhea management: a case of Nepal

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of death among children less than five years of age around the world accounting for about two million child deaths annually. One of the recent strategies made to minimize the diarrhea associated mortality in children involves the use of oral zinc in diarrhea management. The inadequacy of dietary zinc uptake is exacerbated by the net loss of zinc during diarrhea. Zinc is enlisted in WHO essential drug list under medicine for diarrhea where it is indicated in acute diarrhea as an adjunct to oral rehydration salts. Zinc is usually well tolerated. It is necessary to explore public health applications, using zinc either as a preventive measure in children or therapeutically for diarrhea. Key words: Diarrhea, Dehydration, Mortality, Nepal, Zinc.

Herbal Fixed Dose Combinations in Nepal: Growing Concerns in a Developing Country

Herbal medicines are mostly prepared as a combination therapy that has been used since therapeutic was first practiced. Combination products, also known as Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) of herbal remedies are in widespread use in Nepal. Herbal FDCs are in common practice because it is believed to have better adherence, less side effects and easy accessibility. Nevertheless, combination products possess greater risk of adverse effects, increases costs associated with treatments and leads to an ineffective dosages. Herbal FDCs are used extensively in Nepal although the rationality beyond the use of these combinations is still unidentified and at times are questionable. Legislations governing the use of herbal medicines is lacking in Nepal. Many herbal FDCs are not supported by any scientific data and test for the presence of ingredients mentioned in the package insert/container label is always difficult. A FDC of herbal products must be based on clear criteria that guarantee consumer safety and appropriate indications. These criteria helps to protect the consumers or patients from the misleading claims and risk associated with the use of unjustifiable combination of herbal substances. Strict monitoring from the regulatory body and the public awareness on the cost as well as advantages and disadvantages of herbal FDCs is urgently required.