Professor Mayyada Wazaify
Professor of Pharmacy Practice
A Professor of Pharmacy Practice at School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan (UJ). She has18 years of experience in the area of prescription and OTC drug abuse and misuse, mainly the enforcement of the role of the pharmacist in the prevention, identification and management of drug abuse and misuse. Visiting lecturer at University of Bath/UK (2012-2015). Best Scientific Research Award, Hamad Medical Corporation (Qatar, 2013). The Distinguished Researcher Award at University of Jordan for 2 years 2011 and 2012. She has consulted for Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) and Jordan Anti-narcotics Department since 2004.
The abuse of medicinal products, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) is globally on the rise. This may be related to increased availability, being inexpensive and perceived safety. In certain countries on the other hand, the problem of dispensing medications that are liable for abuse without a valid prescription is also a serious problem. A patient can buy almost any analgesic, antibiotic, antipsychotic or cardiovascular drugs, without a prescription, with the exception of controlled narcotics and major tranquilizers (e.g., benzodiazepines), which can only be dispensed after receipt of a prescription signed by a registered physician. This presentation will (1) describe the issue of prescription and OTC drug abuse and misuse from an international perspective and (2) describe interesting cases of using well known medicines in a novel manner, either for unexpected effects, or in ways that are not fully understood from a pharmacological perspective.
