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Letters to the Editor
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Dispensing
Patient safety is being put at risk
From Mr M. L. Anderson, MRPharmS
I was extremely disappointed to read the letter from Ken
Sagar, entitled “Acceptable
dispensing practice?” (PJ, 2 October, p466) in which he describes
receiving eight separate strips of atorvastatin tablets of varying quantities
and batch numbers (indeed some with no batch numbers or expiry dates)
which were dispensed to fill a prescription for 56 tablets.
This example of repackaging medicines undermines product integrity and
safety and must create a most unfavourable view of the products and the
profession in the eyes of the public. It is likely to lead to poor compliance
because some patients will not be confident to take the medicines as
prescribed. How many pharmacists would, I wonder, be happy to accept
a beer from a publican if the measure was “topped up” from
a number of partly used bottles?
Equally serious is the possibility of discarded original packaging being
used as a conduit for counterfeit medicines entering the legitimate supply
chain and the consequent risk to patients. If the profession considers
it reasonable to dispense medicines in the manner described (and I am
concerned that this is not uncommon) then there is, to my mind, a lack
of due diligence, which ultimately puts patient safety at risk. How could
a batch recall possibly operate in such cases when there are no batch
numbers recorded on some of the strips?
I am well aware of the reimbursement rules which drive this behaviour
but I remind fellow pharmacists of their Code of Ethics and Standards
which states “pharmacists’ prime concern, irrespective of
their sphere of work, must be for the wellbeing and safety of patients
and the public”. I invite guidance from the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society reminding members of their professional responsibilities in these
matters.
Martin Anderson
Director, Commercial Affairs
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal