The Society

 Law and Ethics Bulletin

An occasional feature, prepared in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Professional Standards Directorate, to highlight problems and inquiries currently being handled

Dispensing prescriptions for hypromellose eye-drops
Concerns over supplies of insulin

`Dispensing prescriptions for hypromellose eye-drops

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Professional Standards Directorate has received several reports concerning the dispensing of incorrect strengths of hypromellose eye-drops. Extra vigilance is required when dispensing prescriptions for preparations for which more than one strength is available. Pharmacists are advised to check and recheck that the correct strength has been selected from the dispensary shelf. In addition, when a prescription is received for hypromellose eye-drops and the strength is not apparent, the prescriber should be contacted to clarify the strength to be supplied.

Back to Top

Concerns over supplies of insulin

A number of instances have been reported to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society recently in which incorrect insulin has been supplied to patients, with the potential to affect control of the patient’s condition. Typically, the errors have included the supply of porcine insulin instead of human (or vice versa), the supply of an incorrect strength (eg, Human Mixtard 30 instead of 50), the supply of an incorrect product (eg, Humalog Mix 25 instead of Humalog) or the supply of an incorrect presentation (eg, Penfill cartridges instead of pre-filled pens).

Pharmacists are advised to ensure that insulin products in similar packaging are segregated in the refrigerator and that careful checks are made before supply is made to the patient. It may be useful to check with patients that they recognise the insulin as the one they are expecting to receive.

Back to Top