Drug Use: A Blessing or Curse, Warns UI Professor

During the 616th inaugural lecture at the University of Ibadan, Professor Aduragbenro Adedapo, a clinical pharmacologist, warned that drug use can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how it is prescribed and monitored. She stated that while medications are powerful tools in healthcare, improper use can lead to adverse drug reactions, medical errors, and poor treatment outcomes.

Adedapo highlighted the growing burden of adverse drug reactions, which can occur even at normal therapeutic doses and may lead to hospitalization, disability, or death. She stressed the need for vigilance among healthcare professionals and urged the establishment of a pharmacovigilance system to identify and address unsafe medications early.

Adedapo also pointed out that many Nigerians use herbal remedies alongside prescribed medications without informing their doctors, increasing the risk of harmful drug interactions. She called for improved prescribing practices and greater investment in clinical pharmacology research to enhance patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.