Self-Prescribing of Noncontrolled Substances Among Pharmacists

Pharmacists are among the health care practitioners with the greatest access to medications. Similarly, they possess impressive knowledge of prescription drugs and their use in the treatment of various ailments. Both general drug knowledge and access to prescription medications may increase the potential for self-prescribing. Other factors that may promote self-prescribing among pharmacists include long workdays and the privacy inherent in pharmacists' work environments.

Few studies have investigated self-prescribing by pharmacists. The most recent studies were conducted in the late 1980s and found that pharmacists are likely to self-prescribe or be involved in the unauthorized use of controlled substances. Little attention has been dedicated to pharmacists' self-prescribing of noncontrolled substances such as antibiotics and asthma and cardiovascular medications.

Self-prescribing of noncontrolled substances by pharmacists is worth examination. Although addiction is not a concern with these medications, the behavior may progress into self-prescribing of controlled substances, leading to addiction and impaired functioning. Furthermore, self-prescribing among pharmacists is unprofessional and may be associated with unlawful behaviors, which may ultimately undermine the profession and pose a threat to the overall health and well-being of those involved.

Sources
Medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/518684?src=hp30.lead

From American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (http://www.ashp.org)
Self-Prescribing of Noncontrolled Substances Among Pharmacists
Posted 12/16/2005
Ebrahim A. Balbisi; Emily M. Ambizas
Ebrahim A. Balbisi, Pharm.D., and Emily M. Ambizas, Pharm.D., are Assistant Clinical Professors of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, St. John's University, Jamaica, NY.

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Thousands of tablets stolen in hospital armed robbery

A stash of 43,000 tablets have been stolen during an armed robbery at St. Brendan's psychiatric hospital in Dublin.

This morning, two men armed with a handgun broke into the hospital and held up two members of staff ordering another to open the hospital pharmacy.

They fled on foot with 30,000 Diazopan tablets, 11 thousand Zopitan tablets, 1,000 Zoton and hundreds of Zispan tablets.

Both of the raiders were over 6 feet tall, one wearing a dark tracksuit and a black jacket, and the other wearing dark trousers and a cream jacket.

Detectives at Bridewell garda station are investigating the incident.

(Source: Ireland on-line, 15/12/2005 - 18:23:46 http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=166095678&p=y66x96384)

New Human H5N1 Outbreak

The Chinese authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl had been infected by the bird flu. As Xinhua news agency reported, the authorities are puzzled over how the girl was infected, since no outbreaks of the virus have been detected in the Guangxi province, in southern China.

Experts of the Health Ministry have arrived in the area, in order to conclude how the virus was spread, and to coordinate efforts on controlling a possible pandemic. The girl presented high fever and pneumonia symptoms on November 23, and since then has been hospitalised under medical observation, together with any persons who came in contact with her. In the meantime, the sanitation authority in Vietnam, where H5N1 has cost the lives of 42 persons, has banned the sale of antiviral drug Tamiflu. The cause was the excessive use of the drug by citizens presenting symptoms of ordinary flu, as fact that will make the drug ineffective. The scientists stated that the excessive use of the drug can lead to the transformation of the virus into a new more resistible type. As the Health Ministry announced, it will only send necessary quantities to hospitals for the hospitalisation of patients infected by the bird flu.

The H5N1 flu has infected 134 persons in Asia, since the end of 2003, and has cost the lives of more than 70. Vietnam has recorded 93 human outbreaks, 42 of which fatal.

Source:
http://news.ert.gr/en/newsDetails.asp?id=13425
07 Dec 2005 07:33:00 By Dimitris Alexopoulos, Translated by Eirene Nisiriou