The article talks about dispensing medicines that had a short-expiry date. The pharmacist had dispensed a medicine that was in-date but the patient comes back a few months later and complained that the medication had expired when they came to take it.
I've actually encountered such a problem before and the patient wasn't really happy with my response. I think other parties such as the doctor, and the PBS-Medicare system should also take some responsibility of this.
Let me give you an example.
Moduretic. Maximum PBS quantity that the doctor can prescribe is 100 tablets. Now if the patient was only taking half a tablet once a day, that supply will last them 200 days aka 7 months. Bit silly for the doctor to prescribe 100 tablets don't you think? So they expect the patient to take those tablets for 7 months, no review or follow-up?
Megafol. PBS quantity 200 tablets. Patient takes 1 daily. Again, one supply will last them 7 months.
Ventolin Syrup. 2x150ml = 300ml PBS quantity. Doctor prescribed it for a child who takes 0.5ml three times daily. Again, this is a 7 month supply. Do you think a newborn child needs to take Ventolin for 7 months?
What are the consequences for these practice?
- wasting taxpayers money on prescribing excessive quantity
- doctors not thinking how many tablets or boxes the patient actually needs, instead just prints it out from the computer system without changing the quantity
- don't expect the pharmacy to throw out their stock 3 months in advance.
Overall, I think the system is silly. And doctors should be the ones thinking of how much they SHOULD prescribe. Don't shift the blame and responsibility and financial repercussions to pharmacists and call them not diligent enough.
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