The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7366 p311
10 September 2005

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· Homoeopathy (5)
· Pharmacy practice
· Reciprocity
· NICE
· Retention fees
· Sexual health
· Media representation (3)
· Emergency supplies
· The Society

Letters to the Editor

Emergency supplies

Governed by legislation

From Dr D. N. John, MRPharmS

In response to Susan Howshall’s letter (PJ, 3 September, p281) it is not the Code of Ethics that dictates the quantity of a prescription-only medicine that a pharmacist can supply in an emergency, at the request of a patient. It is legislation, specifically “The Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997”. This states that no greater quantity of the prescription-only medicine than that which will provide five days’ treatment can be sold (unless there is a specific exemption within the Order, for example, a quantity sufficient for a full treatment cycle of an oral contraceptive).

Dai John
Senior Lecturer & Head of Clinical Pharmacy, Law, Ethics & Practice
Welsh School of Pharmacy,
Cardiff University

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