Guidance for brand name prescriptions updated
Guidance on dispensing and endorsing prescriptions which bear both a brand and generic name for a product has been updated.
Particular problems have arisen with computer generated prescriptions
for co-proxamol that also carry the name of the blacklisted proprietary
preparation Distalgesic. The Prescription Pricing Authority has been
interpreting
this as an order for the proprietary product and has been disallowing
prescriptions.
According to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, this
has been a problem with some GP computer systems. The PPA is alerting
system suppliers of the problems being caused. Prescriptions for non-blacklisted
products, eg, fluoxetine (Prozac), are also being interpreted as orders
for proprietary products and are being reimbursed at list price, regardless
of endorsements, under normal Drug Tariff rules.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s fitness to practise and legal
affairs department has issued the following guidance for community pharmacists
and their staff:
Brand for brand When a branded product is prescribed and another brand
with the same product licence number is supplied this is unlikely to
be an offence under the Medicines Act 1968 provided the item is not mislabelled.
Although, under the Code of Ethics, pharmacists are not supposed to substitute
specifically named products without prescriber and patient approval,
except in emergencies, it might be difficult to argue that a product
with the same marketing authorisation was not of the nature and quality
required.
Brand and generic If the prescription bears both the brand and generic
names of a product then, except in emergencies, the brand should be supplied
unless the prescriber confirms otherwise. In cases of ambiguity, pharmacists
should make further checks as to which product should be supplied.
Branded generic The brand ordered should be supplied other than in emergencies
or on approval of the prescriber.
Further details are available from the PSNC National Prescription Research
Centre (tel 020 8441 8427). |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal