Self-medication under uncertainty: insights on drug quality and consumer behavior in Burkina Faso

Do consumers change their self-medication practices when drug quality changes? We present experimental evidence on this question in the context of Burkina Faso, where self-medication with antibiotics is a prevalent practise. We conduct chemical quality testing of antibiotics and find that one in three products on the market is substandard or counterfeit, exposing consumers to significant risk and uncertainty. Survey data and experiments show that consumers are aware of the risk posed by substandard antibiotics. However, they are not sufficiently able to judge quality based on visual cues and market information. Our experimental data suggest that self-medication increases as drug quality becomes more certain. The results suggest that measures to improve drug quality in the market might be accompanied by increased self-medication.