Consultation on the self-selection of pharmacy medicines by the public
How to respond to the consultation
By post Please complete the attached
questionnaire (PDF 130K), and send it to Priya Sejpal, Royal
Pharmaceutical Society of
Great
Britain, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN.
Online Please complete the questionnaire online at the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society’s website
• Comments must be received no later than 13 April 2007 |
Further information
The existing codes of ethics can be found
on the Society’s
website
If you would like further information, please contact
Priya Sejpal,
professional ethics pharmacist
tel 020 7572 2481
e-mail priya.sejpal@rpsgb.org |
Pharmacy medicines are medicinal products that can be purchased over the counter from registered pharmacies. Although a prescription is not required to obtain pharmacy medicines, legislation states that these medicines can only be sold from registered pharmacies by a pharmacist or by someone who is acting under the supervision of a pharmacist.
In addition to these legal restrictions, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
Code of Ethics and Standards places an ethical restriction on the accessibility
of pharmacy medicines by the public. It currently states that: “Pharmacy
medicines must not be accessible for self-selection”.
As a result pharmacy medicines are normally displayed behind the medicines
counter, or in display cabinets that can only be opened by pharmacy staff.
The intention of this ethical restriction is to help ensure safe, appropriate
access to pharmacy medicines and protect public safety.
In 2001 a small number of pharmacies undertook trials in which pharmacy
medicines were placed on display for self-selection by members of the
public. The pharmacies involved in the trials had to comply with guidance
developed by the Society. Since then an increasing number of pharmacies
have expressed an interest in making pharmacy medicines available for
self-selection.
A range of views have been expressed about whether restrictions should
be placed on the way in which pharmacy medicines are displayed to the
public. There is concern that having pharmacy medicines available for
self-selection may compromise public safety by increasing access to medicines
that are liable to misuse and reducing the opportunity for pharmacy staff
to establish whether the medicine selected is appropriate for the purchaser.
However, others have expressed a view that making pharmacy medicines
available for self-selection will increase awareness of the range of
pharmacy medicines and will enable the public to have greater involvement
in decisions about their health needs.
The Society is seeking your views on the current ethical prohibition
on the self-selection of pharmacy medicines and on possible alternative
approaches to help ensure the safe, appropriate display of, and access
to, pharmacy medicines. The responses to this consultation will be used
to help us develop professional guidelines that reflect the views of
the profession and the public.
The attached questionnaire (PDF 130K) sets
out questions on which we would like your views. We would welcome detailed
responses to this
consultation and ask that you continue your comments on a separate sheet
if necessary.
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal