People are stupid. We knew that right?
Here’s your Oxycontin (insert mischievous laugh here)
A couple decided to sue their doctor and pharmacist for getting them addicted to Oxycontin. Yes, that’s right, it’s your fault for supplying that prescription, because, we know how well it would go over explaining to a customer they are an obvious addict and should get they act together.
Don’t customers love it when you point out their shortcomings?
Smoke -> Stop
Weight -> Lose
Eat -> Properly
Maybe we should put that on the back of our repeat forms? Well, back to the point, “The couple claims that the pharmacist failed in his duty to stop the couple from buying large amounts of the drug when it was obvious they were addicted.”
Yes, we have a duty to contact the doctor if we feel supply is not appropriate, or take further action above the doctor in rare instances we think that the doctor themselves may be doing the wrong thing, however, at what point do we define what is wrong. If someone has Oxycontin 80mg bd with Oxycodone 5mg q4h every day, is this excessive? It may seem a little, but what if after a long time of trailing different meds this was the best that they thing they have found controls the pain. Maybe they were in an accident and have crippling, chronic pain, for years possibly. How would you feel in that position and told “Nah, take you script someone else” and made to feel like a drug addict.
While many people may not be having those medications for a completely genuine reason, at what point do we draw the line. Are we supposed to diagnose the patient on the counter and decide their level of pain? There are obvious red flags, such as my posting on Anna Nicole Smith, but they is a large grey area, and it concerns me where our accountability as pharmacists is, and at what point are we liable.
This case was back in 2003, I couldn’t find out what happened, but if anyone does, please let us know.
Tags: bad customers, bad pharmacy customers, canadian pharmacy, drug, drug treatment, medication, medications, pharmacist, pharmacist blog, pharmacy blog, prescription, smoke