Patients warning on Dr Google
An increasing number of Australians – now one in five – are misusing their prescriptions and relying on self-diagnosis and reference to “Dr Google” instead of consulting their trusted GP.
The chairman of the Australian Medical Association council of general practice, Dr Brian Morton, said that “the Internet and Google are pulling up some worrisome listings for complications and side effects of medications without being filtered”.
“Those who are using Dr Google should only do so for background information. The information on the Internet is not made on the basis of an individualised specific condition. It is very frustrating to find that a patient is underdosing.
“The fundamentals of pain management are to keep the condition under control. Taking less than the total dose will not have the desired effect,” Dr Morton said.
Figures from the 2010 Annual Checkup Health and Wellbeing survey found that 17% of Australians take more than the recommended dose of over-the-counter medication while 19% take less. And 10% take more than the recommended dose of prescription medication and 18% take less.
