Nkansah reveals common medicine mistakes

Nancy Nkansah, PharmD, a faculty member in the UCSF School of Pharmacy, appears with Mehmet Oz, MD, on The Dr. Oz Show to correct 3 common medication mistakes made by consumers:

  1. The belief that all over-the counter (OTC) drugs are safe. Their advice? Read the label. Many OTC medications can have the same active ingredient. As a result, consumers can overmedicate unless they read their OTC drug labels.
  2. The belief that generic drugs are not as good as brand name drugs. Their advice? Brand name drugs and their generics are equivalent. The active ingredient is the same. Community pharmacists can recommend lower-cost generic equivalents of brand name drugs.
  3. Stopping a medication therapy or not taking a medication as prescribed. Their advice? It is important to take medicines as prescribed to get the best result from the drugs. Pill boxes and other devices can help consumers stay on their medication regimens.

The Dr. Oz Show episode “Dangerous Drug Store Mistakes” was broadcast November 15, 2010.

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About the School: The UCSF School of Pharmacy aims to solve the most pressing health care problems and strives to ensure that each patient receives the safest, most effective treatments. Our discoveries seed the development of novel therapies, and our researchers consistently lead the nation in NIH funding. The School’s doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program, with its unique emphasis on scientific thinking, prepares students to be critical thinkers and leaders in their field.