New Delhi (PTI): A large number of trainee doctors are involved in self-medication although this is exactly what they tell patients not to do once, a new AIIMS study has said.

Self-medication is high among undergraduate medical and paramedical students in India and increases with medical knowledge, according to the study conducted by the pharmacology department of AIIMS.

"Ninetytwo per cent male and 88 per cent female students admitted taking medicine without prescription," Dr Y K Gupta, head of the department, Pharmacology, AIIMS, said.

A total of 238 students -166 females and 71 male - from 24 medical colleges in India participated in the survey. All of them belonged to the 18-25 years age-group.

Of the total number of students who participated in the survey, 63 per cent were medical while 37 per cent paramedical students.

The query was set on 16 categories of drugs on self medication. They include antibacterial, anti inflammatory, analgesic, antacid, anti-allergic, antitussive, antidiarrhoeal, antiulcer, antiemitic, antipyretic, ear drops, eye drops, laxative, hypnotics, nutritional supplements, ayurvedic, homoeopathy and unani.

The drugs most popular among students were analgesics-- used to treat headache, fatigue and body-ache-- antipyretics-- used to decrease body temperature-- antibacterials and antacids.