INVESTIGATION OF THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE IN THE PROSPECTUS OF INTRANASAL CORTICOSTEROID SPRAYS USED IN TURKEY
1Amasya Üniversitesi Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz, Amasya, Türkiye Introduction: Allergic rhinitis is a common chronic disease seen worldwide. Intranasal corticosteroids are one of the most effective drugs used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. In the literature, it is seen that the instructions for use in the prospectus of intranasal corticosteroid sprays are not standard. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the instructions for use in the prospectus of intranasal corticosteroid sprays used in Turkey.Methods and Materials: The information and prospectuses of all intranasal corticosteroid-containing sprays used in Turkey were accessed and reviewed from the official website of the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency. It was investigated whether the instructions for use were included in the prospectus of each spray and whether there were differences.
Results: It was determined that there were 35 intranasal corticosteroid sprays that were licensed for use in Turkey. It was seen that there was a great variation in the instructions for use of these. The prospectus of only 4 (11%) of 35 sprays included all usage steps, although there were differences in some instructions. The remaining 31 sprays were missing one or more steps in the prospectus. Only 7 (20%) included all of the 5 basic steps suggested in the literature.
Conclusion: There are no standard and complete instructions for use in the prospectus of intranasal corticosteroid sprays approved for use in Turkey. It is confusing that intranasal corticosteroid sprays have a completely different instruction for use. Optimizing the daily use of intranasal corticosteroid sprays in patients with allergic rhinitis requires structured and standardized instructions that can be used by professionals and patients alike.
Keywords : Allergic rhinitis, intranasal corticosteroid, prospectus, spray