Sunday, July 31, 2011

Over the Counter Meds

Elsewhere in the world, it's not easy getting antibiotics. However, in Indonesia, doctors are giving out prescription with antibiotics easily, citing that in tropical country the chance of infection is greater than in developed countries. This has some merit, but still doesnt justify why some doctors prescribing antibiotics for common cold in this country. Repeat after me: Antibiotics wont work against virus.

Anyway.. I last night my ENT doc Aunt said over the phone that I needed to get some antibiotics and some saline nose spray. So, I had two options: forged my dad's prescription or just go to pharmacy for the meds. I asked our guard to get me those without any prescription. He came back bringing only one third of the antibiotics I need saying,"This is all they've got. They need a prescription for the saline nose spray."

Oh, the sheer stupidity of that sentence.

Elsewhere in the world, saline nose spray is an over-the-counter medicine and to get an antibiotics we need a prescription. Indonesia has other rule apparently.

4 comments:

colson said...

Your view is the perception of an outsider like me;on some occasions Indonesia makes/made me think in a usually upbeat way of Polonius'(Hamlet) observation: "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't" :).

triesti said...

you know me ;) perhaps I should consider anthropology.. there's an organized chaos over here..

Unknown said...

I think that buying antibiotics should be with prescription, no matter where you are, tropical of subtropical.

triesti said...

It shouldve been that way, Harry. But, this is Indonesia..