Page 71 - ITPS-8-3

INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Knowledge, perception, and practices of ecopharmacovigilance

Table 4. Comparison of knowledge about EPV between government and private medical students (n=300)
Survey questions/Statement Institution p‑value
Government Private
Yes No Yes No
n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%)
Do you have any knowledge about safe drug disposal? 36 (12) 114 (38) 60 (20) 90 (30) 0.007 a
Have you ever educated your friends or family members about safe medicine disposal? 25 (8.3) 125 (42) 43 (14.3) 107 (36) 0.018 a
Do you have any knowledge of EPV? 33 (11) 117 (39) 48 (16) 102 (34) 0.000a
Numerous Asian Gyps (bird) species have been eliminated due to environmental residues of 89 (30) 61 (20) 115 (38) 35 (12) 0.002 a
veterinary diclofenac.
Environmental antimicrobial residues may contribute to increased antibiotic resistance in 115 (38) 35 (12) 118 (39) 32 (11) 0.674 a
microbial populations.
OCP residues in the water environment can cause sterility in frogs and feminization of male fish. 70 (23) 80 (26.6) 110 (37) 40 (13.3) 0.000 a
Abbreviations: EPV: Ecopharmacovigilance; OCP: Oral contraceptive pill.

the future. This high degree of willingness suggests a strong include forgetfulness (43%), medication ineffectiveness
potential for behavior change and collaboration toward (5%), adverse drug effects (10.7%), and perceived
environmental sustainability. These findings highlight improvement in health (41.3%). Similar patterns of
the importance of providing education and resources to keeping extra drugs at home have been observed in other
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encourage proper medication disposal practices. Although studies. In this study, 68% of respondents were unaware
98.6% of respondents agreed that EPV implementation is of proper drug disposal methods. A study conducted in
necessary, 92.3% indicated interest in engaging with the the Dhaka Metropolitan area revealed that over 67%
practice. More significantly, 96% of respondents expressed of respondents were unaware about the correct way to
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willingness to use EPV in their future work, which provided dispose of drugs. Another study in Nepal found that
that they received appropriate training. unwanted and expired medications were not disposed
of properly, prompting the authors to recommend the
Despite a lack of thorough knowledge of EPV, these establishment of a government-funded drug take-back
findings indicate that most medical students show a program. Although drug storage was common, self-
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positive attitude toward its implementation. However, medication was also prevalent. The storage of unused
the study also revealed poor practices, which is consistent medications at home may contribute to this behavior. In
with the lack of knowledge regarding EPV. For instance, this study, 48.3% of respondents reported self-medicating
73.7% of respondents reported that they “often” checked for common medical conditions, including headaches
the expiry dates of medications. In comparison, a study and fevers. Previous research in Nepal has documented
in Chennai, India, found that about 6% of pharmacy the prevalence of self-medication among both students
and medical students failed to check the expiry dates. In and public. 61,70-73 Many students consider self-medication
addition, 60% of respondents in that study agreed that acceptable, as they believe they are knowledgeable about
medications become harmful after their expiry dates. medications and medical conditions. When comparing
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In this study, about 7.3% of participants returned their the respondents’ knowledge of EPV with that of medical
unwanted medications to pharmacies. Similarly, a study students, those from private institutions scored higher,
among dental students in India indicated that 61% likely indicating their greater interest and enthusiasm to
believed expired that medications should be returned to learn about proper medication disposal. The curricula
the manufacturer. In this study, 72.7% of respondents of these students do not include instruction on proper
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stored their medications at homes or in their hostels medication disposal. A significant 97.3% of respondents
until they expired. A study conducted in Nepal found supported the implementation of a drug take-back
that 44.7% of medical and dental students also stored program that allows patients to return medications to
medications until they expired. Furthermore, 19.7% of pharmacies, which would then return them to distributors.
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students disposed of unused medications in the trash. In addition, they advocate for education on the potential
A survey in Bangladesh revealed that 47% of both urban environmental hazards of pharmaceutical residues and the
and rural residents disposed of unused medications in importance of rational drug use. It is possible to enhance
the same way, and similar practices have been observed knowledge of EPV during undergraduate studies through
globally. 64-66 The reasons for having leftover medication educational campaigns, seminars, or workshops targeted

Volume 8 Issue 3 (2025) 65 doi: 10.36922/itps.7678