Posted July 21, 2005

     Recently, there have been several stories and reports about mistakes that have been made in filling prescriptions. It is claimed, in one instance, that a pharmacist was legally drunk while on the job. In another case, the wrong medicine was made up and administered to a young girl. In a third case, less than the prescribed number of pills were put in the bottle.

     The illegibility of doctors' handwriting is legendary. In one local case reported to us, someone at a pharmacy couldn't read the doctor's writing, so a duplicate of a prior prescription from the same doctor was made up. However, the new prescription was different - the doctor had decided to give his patient another medicine. A problem that used to be a source of poor humor had now become a serious error.
We don't have any idea who's to blame or how widespread the problem is, but there's a lesson to be learned from this, in the opinion of South Boston Online.

      We make no excuse for what seems to be a large number of serious errors in the system of selecting, prescribing, and supplying medicine to the American public. Furthermore, the individuals and businesses involved in the pharmaceutical supply chain are very well paid - from the major drug firms right on down to the local dispensing pharmacists. They owe 100% perfect quality of service to every single one of us.
Having said that, we also have a few suggestions for our readers (but you already knew those were coming).

     Make sure you understand the nature of the medicine you have a prescription for, before you leave your doctor's office. Check the prescription he or she gave you. Are you unable to read it? Was it carelessly scrawled? If so, ask for another, more legible one.

     Ask a few, supposedly "dumb" questions, such as, "Are there any side effects?" or "What happens if I forget to take it?" or "How long has this medicine been on the market?" Ask these questions of both your doctor and your pharmacist. Obviously, their answers should agree with each other.

      Read the label before you leave the pharmacy. Carefully! Usually, additional instructions are inserted in the bag - read them before you go home. Make sure you understand how to take your prescription, especially if it's new to you.

       If you are curious, and want more information, the Branch Library has a current (2004) edition of "The Physician's Desk Reference" - the P.D.R. Look up your medicine there. For example, you'll find that the popular ulcer medicine, Tagamet from GlaxoSmithKline, causes headaches in a few people. Don't try to doctor yourself (even doctors don't treat themselves), but do become an informed consumer. You owe that to yourself.

      Some individuals may feel they are being a problem, or even a pain in the neck, if they ask a lot of questions of their doctors and pharmacists. Don't feel that way. No doctor or pharmacist is going to take your illnesses upon themselves. You're giving them your time and money to keep you in good health.

      Make sure they're accountable.

      It's not only your time and money, it's your life.