Are we considered knowledgeable?

摘要

I was interested to read Mr D. Brown's letter about "Too many fanciful visionaries" (PJ, 19 January 2008, p51). Despite our rigorous training, we are challenged to take over all those unnecessary tasks he speaks of, while we are still prevented from supplying certain prescription medicines that have a low, if any, potential for abuse. If a regular customer walks in who is on, for example, long-term furosemide and who cannot obtain for whatever reason a prescription, we may not dispense. At best, we can make an emergency supply with all the considerations and implications this may have (including ethical ones, the assessment of genuine need, keeping a record, etc).