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If I Pay Why not sell?
- Type I - People who rush to the nearest doctor as soon as they feel ill .... be it real or not they end up meeting their prescriber!!!
- Type II - Self Medication Type Who try home remedies be it herbal preparations, OTC products or the medication they have previously used for the same kind of illness ..
- Type III - Who CALL their Doctor friend and get a list of medicines.
Now all these Three types happen to end up in the pharmacy and will be treated very differently.
How Pharamcist may react
A - will provide medication
B - pharmacist will Refuse
C - will give an OTC medication single dose depending on patients condition and refer to a medical officer
If you go to your pharmacy with a legal prescription issued by
- Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP)
- Registered Dental Practitioner
- Registered Veterinary Practitioner
pharmacist will issue the drugs without trouble.
In Sri Lankan set up there are several laws governing the dispensing without prescriptions as well as pharmacists are bound to adhere with Good Pharmacy Practice as well. According to the law of Sri Lanka Pharmacist cannot prescribe medication for any ailment unless the patient is in a critical condition needing immediate medical assistance.
According to the NMRA (National Medicine Regulatory Authority) of Sri Lanka there are 3 types of drugs in the pharmacy.
Schedule I - Drugs which can be sold without a license.
These are available in any good store not necessarily in a pharmacy. Paracetamol, herbal preparations, some Traditional medicines used for the common ailments such as herbal balms and creams.
Schedule II - This is subdivided as Schedule II - A and Schedule II - B
Schedule II A - These are Non Prescription drugs or OTC ( Over The Counter) medication. OTC medicines are
available to treat an expanding range of
ailments.
Ex - Some analgesics, dermatologic
products, anti-diarrheals, laxatives, antiemetics, antacids, anti-allergics etc
Schedule II B - Drugs which can be sold only under prescription.
Theses include All Antibiotics, anti diabetic medication anti hypertensives, anti psychotics and so on.
Shedule III - These drugs are dispensed only with a prescription from a RMP. These are addictive drugs of abuse and should only be dispensed with a prescription not exceeding 3 days.
Ex- Morphine , Diamorphine tablets.
Now going back to type II and type III,
When you ask for a self prescribed medication which cannot be dispensed ( Schedule II B , III) without a legal prescription your pharmacist has every right to refuse giving you the medication.
The list you got from your doctor friend isn't a Legal Prescription.
He just sells. If I pay Why not sell?
This is the attitude of patients who can't take NO for an answer.
Why the Refusal????
- it is illegal to sell prescription only drugs without a legal prescription - Ex antibiotics
- patient may be in need of medical assistance rather than self medication
- self medication for symptomatic relief is not a good practice
- there can always be allergies, interactions with other food and drug the patient may be taking so dispensing without a history can be harmful.
- certain medications are contraindicated for special patients groups such as pregnant women and kids.
- when the pharmacist is unaware of quality, safety and efficacy of certain products.
Now when you all go to the drug store with no prescription you are asking for something illegal and unethical to be done.
Pharmacy is no ordinary store with business goals only. Pharmacists are bound with a code of ethic and laws from which they are restricted to sell anything and everything as and when they want and patients request.
"No " doesn't make him a bad, non supportive person with lack of customer care. It is natural to feel irritated and angry about your pharmacist in a situation as such when you happen to go to the drug store amidst the busy schedule only to be told that you cant get your medicines. Being human most of you will make a mental note to "avoid" the particular drug store for the rest of your lives owing to the refusal since you all don't have the slightest idea that the pharmacist had been doing the righteous thing and had been concerned about your health more than a pharmacist who runs a business for profit motive only.
Yes there are Pharmacists who will "Sell" anything and everything no matter what.
Not All People are Ethical.....
So next time when the pharmacist say NO just keep in mind he must be having a Good enough reason for that.
Nobody will lose a Customer with No Good Reason !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And instead of avoiding the "NO Pharmacy" avoid "Sell Pharmacy" for your own good.
