Practice Committee to urge OP dispensing to end pharmacists’ problems with PIL supply
The problems pharmacists experience in supplying patient information leaflets (PILS) to all patients when medicines are dispensed can most easily be solved by completing the move to original pack dispensing, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Practice Committee has decided.
At its meeting on 5 July, the committee noted that the leaflet supply
problem is mainly due to the fact that the system of split pack dispensing
is still commonplace, putting the the UK out of line with most of Europe.
One solution proposed was to encourage the move to original pack dispensing
for all dispensing unless it is not in the interest of the patient. The
committee considered that, although such a move has been considered in
the past, now is perhaps a good time to revisit it, with the increased
interest in public safety and the introduction of braille on packaging.
Original pack dispensing would ensure that patients received the appropriate
PIL. The committe was concerned that patients shouls receive the correct
version of the PIL because information changes and they need up-to-date
information to help them take or use their medicines safely.
The committee believes that many pharmacists are keen to move to original
pack dispensing, providing they can be adequately reimbursed. The committee
is to produce a paper to enlist Council support for a move to original
pack dispensing as the standard for dispensing for both hospital and
community pharmacy.
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal