Ok this has been happening way too often recently that I'm starting to doubt if the doctors actually know the state pharmaceutical laws when it comes in prescribing.
I've been seeing about 5 prescriptions of Roaccutane and Clomid being prescribed by general practitioners recently.
Patients won't know this but Roaccutane and Clomid are specialised medicines that can ONLY be prescribed by specialists. Roaccutane by a DERMATOLOGIST and Clomid by a Gynaecologist or a doctor from a infertility clinic.
I've been seeing these scripts come in written by our local GPs.
Please brush up on the laws by referring to the Department of NSW Health Poisons Schedule!!!! The laws have been around for over 10 years, I find it amused why doctors are clueless about this.
Let me tell you a story about a patient yesterday.
This lady who is not a regular customer comes in with a script for Clomid written by her normal GP. So I checked AHPRA to double check his qualifications before calling him. So I call the doctor and informed him of the schedules and that he needs to refer this patient to the specialist. The doctor was clueless!!
Dr: Oh really? I didn't know that. Is that a new law?
Me: Errr no it's been around for a very long time. There's a list of medicines that's restricted to being prescribed by specialist and that list can be found through the Department of NSW Health Poisons Schedule.
Dr: Oh ok. No I didn't know. Ok just let the patient know that she needs to contact her specialist for the prescription then.
Me: Sure. I'll let her know.
So after hanging up with the dr, I let the patient know the problem with her prescription.
Me: Sorry I just got off the phone with your dr. There is a problem with your prescription, it can only be prescribed by a specialist so your family dr is not authorised to prescribed this.
She: Excuse me? So I can't get it?
Me: No you can't because your dr is not authorised to prescribed it. I've already called him and told him the problem. He wants you to see your specialist to get the prescription from him instead.
She: Look you listen to me. I need to start this today because my period is today. So I must get this medicine today.
Me: I understand but this script is not valid. Your family gp wants you to see the specialist.
She: I can't! My specialist is on holidays!
Me: Well then you'll have to go back to your family doctor to get a referral to see a different specialist if its an emergency.
She: I don't have time to do that!! I don't understand you, I got this before from other chemists, so I don't know why I'm having a problem here.
Me: As I've said already, your doctor is not a specialist, he is not authorised to prescribe this medicine. There are restrictions and laws that doctors need to abide by. I have already called the doctor and those are your options he has given you.
She: So I can't get this? What am I gonna do now? I need to start today.
Me: I've already told you 2 options: a) Go get the script from the specialist......
She: She's on holidays.
Me: Ok well then option b) is to go back to your family gp, get a new referral to see another specialist. That's the next option.
She: I got no time!
Me: I can't help you then. I already spoke to the doctor about this problem and those are your two options.
HUFF IN A PUFF she got so angry that I wouldn't give it to her, she snatched the script out of my hand and chucked a fit and walked out.
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The public needs to realise that a doctor, a person with a medical degree, does not override any law in the country. Doctors still has to been requirements and have restrictions in their profession. They also have a Board they have answer to. I really don't like it when people always use the doctor as their excuse: "the doctor said this, the doctor said that, the doctor said it'll be this price so why are you overcharging me, the doctor said all pharmacists are a gp why are you not, the doctor said I can get this without a prescription but you are saying its a prescription only medicine, the doctr said this and that...."
Geez, gimme a break. The lady's excuse "I got no time." which she said for several times, I was thinking in my head: "Well, if you got no time, you would MAKE time to go see the doctor if its an emergency."
Since you are not willing to see the doctor, I guess its not an emergency then. If you want to make babies, so desperately, be a bit more prepared and try again next month.
And doctors, a tip: please read the prescribing laws associated with this profession, because you are making it very inconvenient for both the patient and the pharmacist who's taking the blame for your mistakes.
Your responsibility is not just to diagnose and prescribe, you need to learn about ethics and legal requirements as well.
You are obviously educated but you sound like a twit. I have never met a lady hoping for a baby who was prepared for infertility and who happy to 'wait for the next month'. She had probably already waited months. Didn't they teach you how to be empathetic at all in any of your classes? Your rant is shameful.
ReplyDeleteWell put!
DeleteYes!
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DeleteAnon : the law is for a reason and there is no one above the law... if clomid is safe enough to be handled in the General Practice then the law need to be changed.. What this Pharmacist did was correct.
ReplyDeletea GP
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ReplyDeleteAnon : the law is for a reason and there is no one above the law... if clomid is safe enough to be handled in the General Practice then the law need to be changed.. What this Pharmacist did was correct.
ReplyDeletea GP
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