OBJECTIVE: The rational use of medicines as per the World Health Organization (WHO) should be practiced globally. However, data regarding the completeness of the prescriptions and their rational use is lacking from developing countries like India. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prescribing patterns of drugs and completeness of prescriptions as per WHO core drug use and complementary indicators to provide real-life examples for the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) online prescribing skill course for medical graduates. METHODS: Prescriptions of the patients, fulfilling inclusion criteria, attending Outpatient Departments of various specialties of tertiary care hospitals, were collected by thirteen ICMR Rational use of medicines centers located in tertiary care hospitals, throughout India. Prescriptions were evaluated for rational use of medicines according to the WHO guidelines and for appropriateness as per standard treatment guidelines using a common protocol approved by local Ethics committees. RESULTS: Among 4838 prescriptions, an average of about three drugs (3.34) was prescribed to the patients per prescription. Polypharmacy was noted in 83.05% of prescriptions. Generic drugs were prescribed in 47.58% of the prescriptions. Further, antimicrobials were prescribed in 17.63% of the prescriptions and only 4.98% of prescriptions were with injectables. During the prescription evaluation, 38.65% of the prescriptions were incomplete due to multiple omissions such as dose, duration, and formulation. CONCLUSION: Most of the parameters in the present study were out of the range of WHO-recommended prescribing indicators. Therefore, effective intervention program, like training, for the promotion of rational drug use practice was recommended to improve the prescribing pattern of drugs and the quality of prescriptions all over the country.

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Background: The study aims to identify the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy along with clinico-pathological profile of 30 confirmed cases of lung cancer during a 6-months period.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the diagnostic yield bronchial brushing (BB), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and brush biopsy specimens obtained at fibre-optic bronchoscopy for patients with lung cancer and their clinico-pathological characteristics studied.Results: Of 30 patients who underwent fibre-optic bronchoscopy examination brush cytology was diagnostic in 17 patients (68%) brush biopsy in 5 patients (20%) and BAL cytology in 4 patients (16%) with adenocarcinoma in 13 patients (43%), non-small cell carcinoma in 1 (3%), large cell carcinoma in 1 (3%), squamous cell carcinoma in 5 (16%), small cell carcinoma in 5 (16%). The most common Symptom was cough in 25 (83%) followed by chest pain in 22 (73.3%), breathlessness in 14 (46.6%), fever in 13 (43.3%), anorexia in 11 (36.6%), weight loss in 10 (33.3%), hoarseness of voice and haemoptysis in 5 (16.6%) and dysphagia in 1 (3.3%).Conclusions: In bronchoscopic procedure the highest yield is of brush cytology with adenocarcinoma being the most common type with presenting complaint of cough and chest pain. The prevalence of lung cancer is more common among males and commonly being located in right upper lobe.