Chemist only sells on prescription??

mountai wrote: »

For those that are concerned ---- If I want to get a High , I"ll smoke some dope .!!! The whole point I"m trying to make is -- There is a list of controlled drugs that can only be sold on Prescription. These prescriptions make money for the Chemists , ergo , the more Drugs that are prescribed , the more money the Chemists make. Surely a Chemist cannot decide to place a drug into the "Controlled" category just on a whim???

It's like you're trying to not understand. They can insist that no one is allowed to buy aspirin without wearing a mop on their head if they like. They can insist you get a prescription for a blister pad if they want. It wouldn't be sensible but as a private retailer they can put any limitations on their service that they like within the scope of the law.

3 solpadeine over 24 hours and you got a buzz? thats a tiny amount of codeine. an addict would be taking 20 times that amount.

As somebody who has 2 direct members of my family who were hooked on that **** I can say wholeheartedly that you can easily get hooked and not need to take 20 times that amount.

Personally I was delighted when they put stricter regulations as I had been sending emails for about 5 years to highlight the dangers - its been extensively covered in the UK. I would love to see it prescription only as it is a very dangerous product when misused, and it is seriously misused in this country.

These prescriptions make money for the Chemists , ergo , the more Drugs that are prescribed , the more money the Chemists make.

Where are you getting this from? Retailers make money on bulk purchases and prescriptions are generally not bulk and also subject to the drugs payment scheme which actually results in less revenue for a pharmacy.

Had the same thing happen to me when I requested phenergan (an antihistamine ) in the pharmacy. Despite the patient care leaflet saying it is over the counter the pharmacist told it was prescription only.

I fell down the stairs recently and I was given a prescription for Solpadeine that said "2 tabs, 3 times a day for two days" but also gave me 30 tablets for ongoing pain. My other half had to go to the pharmacy for me as I couldn't walk. The pharmacist/dispensing technician there quizzed my OH as to what happened to me before they would dispense the prescription, and even then she didn't want to give me the whole 30 because theoretically I only needed the 12 for two days. The pharmacist who had to approve the dispensing anyway saw it was for me and said "no problem" - they know me.

So I took the first two and within a half an hour I was high as a kite!!! It took at least 6 hours for this "high" to wear off and I only took one tablet every 8 hours after that. I was completely out of it, I didn't like it one bit (I think I'm safe enough on the addiction basis on that front ) Anyone saying that you need a lot more to get a "buzz" is probably talking from their own experience, which is fair enough, but from my experience, 2 tabs were enough to knock my socks off. I can't believe that this stuff used to be OTC.

former legend wrote: »

Phenergan is OTC but widely misused, wouldn't blame the pharmacist at all. As an actual antihistamine, it pretty much went out with the dinosaurs.

(Not saying you'd misuse it, just that a lot of people do).

Really can't imagine them much good for what they are meant for.

mountai wrote: »

So do they give the prescription charge to charity?

you would not get charged a prescription charge for this even though he asked you to produce a prescription.

I would assume (even though you will probably deny this!) that you have asked for solpadiene many times from this pharmacy and he has now worried that you are over using or abusing them so has asked you to produce a prescription from your doctor.

rozeboosje wrote: »

Nonsense. OTC drugs are considered safe for self-medication. That's why they're OTC. Giving a customer a hard time for their decision to buy such a drug is meddling in somebody else's business.

Yes, they have every right to do so. They have every right to stick their nose into other people's medical business and to "play doctor" from behind their counter, denying a customer a sale because they think they know better. But as a customer I wouldn't tolerate such meddling in my affairs. What's next? Off licence employees demanding a prescription? LOL

This is an extremely ill-informed comment.

You clearly have absolutely no idea what pharmacists do "behind their counter".

OTC drugs are considered safe for sale "under the supervision of a pharmacist". This is why you cannot buy more than X number of paracetamol in a supermarket, as nobody their is qualified to advise you should you have any issues. This is why you cannot buy the multitudes of other OTC drugs in supermarkets. OTC sale applies only to drugs which can be sold in a pharmacy - their is no self medication about it.

What you are referring to as "self medication" are items which belong to another category of drugs, the "General Sales List" which can be bought in supermarkets and thus constitute "self medication".

Please sir/madam - learn some facts before you go making such sweepingly incorrect generalisations

mountai wrote: »

Strange as it may seem , the Government seems to have the same chip on their shoulder. This is manifested in the fact that they have reduced the price that they are going to pay !!! Poor Chemists !!!. Still crying Wolf , although more Shops are opening every week!!!!

I don't see any chemists crying wolf!