Dispute over drug dispensing continues

[webfact]

Dispute over drug dispensing continues

By The Nation

 

Representatives of nurse groups meet the Public Health Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Opas Karnkawinpong to demand that the Drug Bill clearly stipulate that nurses too can dispense drugs, just like dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians and doctors.

 

Ministry official calls for resolution as nurses, pharmacists fight over clauses

 

THAILAND WILL stick with the drug law that was passed half a century ago and disallows nurses from dispensing drugs, if relevant organisations continue fighting over the new Drug Bill. 

 

“If we can’t present the draft to the Cabinet, we won’t be able to push for greater consumer protection and better control of online medicine ads. We will have to stick with the 1967 Drug Act,” Public Health Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said yesterday. 

 

He was speaking after attending a meeting with several nurse groups, including the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council.

 

The two issues that spark the biggest controversy stipulate which professions can dispense drugs and how drugs are categorised. 

 

Representatives of nurses and health workers based in Thailand’s deep South insisted that the Drug Bill should allow nurses to dispense drugs because at small hospitals, nurses may have to respond to patients’ needs in the absence of doctors and pharmacists. 

 

However, last week, the Food and Drug Administration talked with pharmacists’ groups and |ruled out nurses, stating that only pharmacists, dentists, doctors and veterinarians could dispense drugs. 

 

Pharmacists have insisted that anyone dispensing drugs must be carefully controlled to uphold the checks-and-balances in the healthcare sector. 

 

Opas said he would encourage relevant organisations to get together this week to resolve these issues. 

 

“We hope they will settle their differences. If they still fight over some clauses in the bill, we won’t be able to forward it to the Cabinet to start the legislation of the new drug law,” he said. 

 

Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council’s president Assoc Professor Tassana Boontong said the new Drug Bill would deliver many benefits if it is passed. 

 

“We have already drawn up manuals on how nurses should provide primary medical care and dispense basic medicines for patients. This manual has won approval from the Medical Council, the Dental Council and the Pharmacy Council of Thailand,” Tassana said. “So, the new law should reflect the current situation.” 

 

Nurse groups expect the new bill to list four drug categories so nurses can handle basic drugs. But pharmacists hope that the bill will list just three categories of drugs: prescription drugs, medicines that pharmacists can dispense right away and general medicine for home use.

 

Opas said he understood the nurses’ position because in some areas, such as the deep South, nurses were in charge of dispensing drugs. 

 

“So, nurses hope they will get clear legal protection,” he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30354246

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-12

[ReMarKable]

They should have a new category of nursing similar to the US, nurse practitioners.  Requires more education and must follow clear guidelines.  I wouldn't trust current nurse training with this responsibility.  Most nurses here ask me questions when I have my blood pressure taken, something that should not be done since talking affects blood pressure value.  I just don't answer until the procedure is over.

[canopus1969]

Anyone can give out pills here - just make sure there are red, green, white and blue tablets - job done

[Nurseynutcase]

Also in the UK we have nurse practitoners who can prescribe any class of drug.  One academic year of one day trainng a week and at least ten hours of home study plus essays and a dissertation.

 

I know this as was one.  Very hard study but so interesting.  Annual updates were also required.

 

However here in Thailand drugs are dispensed otc willy-nilly.  I was horrified when I first came here to see what could be bought otc without a Doctor/Nurse prescription.

 

On the plus side though it is handy if anyone runs out of their regular medication they can buy it otc without any hassle - does depend on the nature of the drug sometimes though.

[hobobo]

1 hour ago, canopus1969 said:

Anyone can give out pills here - just make sure there are red, green, white and blue tablets - job done

You forgot an important factor: red round ones are not the same as red oval ones!

[Nurseynutcase]

2 minutes ago, hobobo said:

You forgot an important factor: red round ones are not the same as red oval ones!

sorry could not resist a flippant comment to something I heard some time ago - the smaller the tablet the powerful it is!!!!!

 

The mind boggles!!!!!!!!!!!

[hobobo]

6 minutes ago, Nurseynutcase said:

sorry could not resist a flippant comment to something I heard some time ago - the smaller the tablet the powerful it is!!!!!

 

The mind boggles!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, but TIT....

[LivinLOS]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Pharmacists have insisted that anyone dispensing drugs must be carefully controlled to uphold the checks-and-balances in the healthcare sector. 

Because otherwise who would get the added income from all the under counter sales.. 

[Khun Paul]

What amazes me is that I visited a BOOTS Chemist the other day to buy some Fenistil ( which is a ointment for insect stings ) and because the PHARMACIST was not there, could not be sold it. NOW THAT is STUPID , so I went to another Chemist and was able to buy. I gree Phamaciosts for Pills and poiton which contain a possible harmful drug. But ointment is the law here that STUPID ??