PERCEPTIONS OF INDIAN CONSUMERS TOWARDS PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The increase in access to and use of medication worldwide has led to ubiquitous and persistence presence of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment. Major risks from environmental contamination due to drugs include death of organisms, habitat loss, mutation, and rise of antigen-resistant microbes. India has suffered enormous regional ecological damage from pharmaceutical contamination. Green chemistry approaches and environmentally-friendly pharmaceuticals exist, but they currently do not enjoy popular support from the pharmaceutical industry or consumers. By conducting a public survey in Indore, India, this research attempts to understand whether consumers would support environmentally-friendly pharmaceuticals. The survey measures environmental concern, self-estimated knowledge, risk perception, and consumer intention. Statistical analyses indicate that environmental concern, self-estimated knowledge, and risk perception are each positively correlated with consumer intention. Results show that most people demonstrate environmentally-friendly consumer intention; and environmental concern was found to be its strongest indicator of consumer intention.