In-store pharmacies
  Prescribing
  NSF for older people
  Community pharmacy
  Homoeopathy
  Meningitis and the HAJ
  Education
  The Army
  Folic acid
  Nurse prescribing
  Labelling
  The Journal
  The Society

The Society

Society should put forward practising pharmacists

From Dr. S. J. Barnes, MRPharmS

On March 28, the BBC Radio 4 programme You and Yours included an item concerning a holidaymaker who had contracted malaria while abroad. Apparently advice on appropriate prophylaxis had been obtained from a local pharmacist.

One of the participants in the studio discussion was Roger Odd, representing the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. It was, sadly, no surprise to find that the encounter did nothing to encourage the public to seek advice from community pharmacists. Mr Odd did not seem to be at all well-prepared for the interview, particularly with respect to the sources of information available concerning current guidelines on malaria prophylaxis.

When the Society is approached for a contribution on a specific subject such as this, would it not be more appropriate to ask a practising pharmacist with detailed knowledge of the topic rather than a spokesperson from Lambeth? I personally had no difficulty in contacting a pharmacist with expertise in travel medicine shortly after the programme ended.

Stephanie Barnes
London W12

Previous Topic (The Journal)
Send your letter to The Editor