Self-treatment can be legalized in Belarus to save state budget

Belarus should admit the fact of existence of self-treatment in the country and continue preparing the appropriate legislation.

This statement was made by the dean of the Faculty of Pharmacological Medicine of the Vitsebsk State Medical University, Valyantsina Kuhach, BelTA news agency reports.

According to the specialist, promoting an intelligent and responsible approach to self-treatment can have a significant economic effect. “The survey in the Vitsebsk State Medical University shows successful self-treatment of just one person can save 270,000 Belarusian rubles per day,” Valyantsina Kuhach said. She stresses it would be an ideal situation if every patient had a consultation with a doctor, but it is not always possible in actual practice.

According to a survey among doctors carried out by the university, over 70% of respondents find normal a situation when a pharmaceutist recommends general sales list medicines to a customer, but admit the lack of educational programmes on responsible self-medication in Belarus.