What’s happening?!

Consider the following situation: a patient has injured one of his toes and approaches a physician. The doctor after thorough examination diagnoses it to be a fracture does strapping and assures the patient that it’s not a major issue. The doctor also prescribes a pain killer to relieve the pain and clearly instructs the patient to take the drug only when the pain is severe and intolerable. The doctor has written the same in his prescription that the pain killer would be needed only for the first couple of days of injury.

Now the patient takes the Prescription to the pharmacy where the pharmacist or the person working there to dispense the drug gives his advice to the patient that the patient should take the pain killer for five days and gives one full strip of that drug.

The patient tries to explain what his doctor told him but the pharmacist refuses to agree and says that drugs will be dispensed as full strips and can’t be cut.

What will the patient do? Is this right?

Similar kinds of scenarios exist with dispensing most of the essential drugs especially the sugar and BP medics and so on.

What do I feel as a doctor?

Do not exploit the patients. Money matters to everybody. I’ve seen a lot of patients who have strips and strips of medicines for a single prescription and they don’t even like to take drugs for more than 3 days on average unless it’s a chronic condition that warrants regular medication. And ultimately all those excess medics go to trash untouched. Some people can’t afford these medicines that go to the trash. Just think if all those that are trashed are instead donated whole-heartedly would benefit somebody somewhere by the pharmacies that are trying to exploit the patients.

Why are people forced to buy more of what should be bought in a limited amount!! 

There is no rule that drug strips should not be cut. If you go to a GH or a PHC, you will be given only what is needed for the time and there’s no extra. Whereas in a private pharmacy, it’s not the case you see at all. Patients and their attendees should be aware and ask for what they want and be very demanding that you are served only what is needed. Patients have all the rights to decide if they should take a medicine or not even though a doctor advises. Take charge of your money and be directly responsible for your body and health.

Surplus and excess are real issues that should be addressed in all sectors and all parts of life. Be it food, medicines, or other materials and technology. You know the saying “too much of anything is good for nothing”. Problems due to overconsumption or overuse should be taken seriously and a conscious informed decision should be taken for everything in life. Have a happy healthy life!