Social Trends and the Perceptions of Pharmaceutical Students about Use of Obesity-improving Drugs

Measures against obesity include the use of medication as well as lifestyle-related improvements such as diet and aerobic exercise. Obesity-improving drugs are prescribed under the diagnosis of severe obesity. Regarding such drugs, many general drugs, mainly Chinese herbs, are also on the market. Over-the-counter drugs (OTC) can be purchased and used at the discretion of the individual, and it is easy to imagine that they will be used for purposes other than their original therapeutic purpose, such as cosmetology. Unlike the side effects caused by drugs used for therapeutic purposes, the only side effects caused by the use of drugs that do not need to be used are the general health risks. Reducing these risks is an important part of the pharmacist's job. In this study, we analyzed the adverse effects of obesity-improving drugs using the “Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report” database. Furthermore, regarding user awareness, we conducted an analysis using social listening and a questionnaire for our students. As a result, many reports of adverse events due to the use of medicines by those who fell below the obesity standard were observed. This was especially noticeable in women. This group tended to be associated with losing weight from social listening. In addition, the questionnaire analysis of students suggests that their knowledge may not be effective in preventing the inappropriate use of diet drugs.