Do you think it is right to not fill certain prescriptions?

Question

If there was a drug you know that was toxic to a patient, how would you handle the situation and what if the doctor strongly disagreed with your then what would you do as a pharmacist do?

Answer 1

I would give the patient some background info on why it's toxic, what the side effects are, your medical background, why this background makes you an expert on the subject of toxicity in medications, and that you would strongly recommend that they get a second opinion from another doctor.

If the patient still demands the perscription, then I would weigh the benefits of the medication (is it an acute condition, does it demand treatment immediately, is it a cronic condition, etc)

If it's anything other than an acute condition that requires a one time fill of a perscription, I would refuse to fill.

Not a pharmacist, but appreciate you looking out for people, as I fell the pharm industry is completely out of control.

Answer 2

I think if you run a privately own pharmacy you have every right to refuse to carry certain items. Such as plan B.
The patient can always go to another pharmacy.

I think you have the wrong idea about pharmacists, they aren't hanging out on the phone with the doctor. A person brings in the script, if they have the medicine they fill it and if the person has the cash they are able to purchase it. The only times they (and it is usually a pharmacy tech, not the pharmacist) call the doc is when they can't read the script or if the medicine has a bad interaction with something the patient is already taking. And then, they talk to the nurse, not the doctor. And most drugs are toxic in some way to the body. It is a matter of the patient weighing the cure against the ailment, not the pharmacist.

Answer 3

Lea is absolutely right. A pharmacist has both a moral and legal liability as to the outcome of what medication does to a patient if they know there is a potential problem. I had a patient who was prescribed Keflex by a dentist who stated they had a severe penicillin allergy and had to be life-flighted last time they took penicillin. I called the dentist who said to go ahead and fill the prescription. I refused to fill it anyway. When I told the patient the dentist refused to change the medication, they canceled their appointment and changed their dentist. Much like a bar tender serving a drunk, a pharmacist has a legal liability if they fill narcotics for abusers. If that patient gets doped up and kills someone in a car accident the pharmacist will get sued. A pharmacist has the legal right to refuse to fill any prescription as long as the decision is not based on race, religion or color or creed.

Answer 4

If that happens, I would refuse to fill the prescription. I would explain the issue with the patient, and explain why I chose not to fill. If I let the bad prescription be filled and I know it is bad, the result could be a lawsuit and loss of license. The pharmacist has the ultimate authority in determining whether or not a prescription should be filled or not.
I would also document my interactions on the prescription itself.

Answer 5

Well if you knew for a fact that it was toxic to the patient, you would be killing the patient by giving them that medication. I would find it immoral to fill the prescription.