Timeliness of Over-the-Counter Drug Sales as an Early Indicator of Community Disease Outbreaks in Hong Kong

Overseas studies showed that increases in over-the-counter (OTC) drug sales might serve as an indicator of community disease outbreaks before they are detected by conventional surveillance systems. Using data collected retrospectively from commercial drug retailers, the Department of Health of Hong Kong conducted an exploratory study to examine the potential of monitoring OTC drug sales for early detection of community disease outbreaks.

Objective

This study evaluates whether OTC drug sales can serve as an earlier indicator for detecting community disease outbreaks in Hong Kong.