..Information to Pharmacists
    _______________________________

    Your Monthly E-Magazine
    MAY, 2003

    Published by Computachem Services

    P.O Box 297.
    Alstonville. 2477
    NSW Australia

    Phone:
    61 2 66285138

    E-Mail
    This
    Page
    Click For a
    Printer-Friendly
    Page
    Bookmark
    This Page

    SIMON RUDDERHAM

    Community Pharmacist Perspective

    Media Pan Handling

    To paraphrase Eddie McGuire, what a big week it has been in pharmacy!
    On Monday afternoon (28th April), during a routine counselling session on a repeat statin, I asked the patient if both her and the doctor were happy with the cholesterol levels. The answer was in the negative, and the patient then asked if there was anything she could do to reduce her cholesterol any further. I suggested an increase in omega 3 through the eating of fish or fish oil supplements.

    I received a very blank look, as if I had told a very very bad joke, and was politely told that there was no way that she was going to be taking any of that "poisonous stuff - what with all the banned products and recalls and dodgy medicine makers".

    I briefly returned her blank look, and she walked out of the pharmacy, past the shop staff mumbling about how I was trying to offload tainted products to her.

    It was not until my travel home that I heard the news about the Pan pharmaceutical recall. I immediately logged onto auspharmacist.net (an excellent resource) to get the lowdown on all that was happening. I printed off a list of the recalled items, ready to take to work the next day, but then left them in the car, as I realised on the way in that the TGA or Pan pharmaceuticals would surely contact pharmacy with an explanation and list of recalled items.

    Grabbing a ream of paper for the fax machine in preparation for a day of heavy fax receiving, and was shocked and dismayed to find that no faxes had been received.

    The usually quiet Tuesday was ruined with continual phone calls from patients wondering if there medicines were safe, and whether they should see doctor. The temp secretary working in the adjoining doctors surgery was almost in tears, and customers presented with every single herbal medicine they had ever taken, demanding refunds for products that weren't even listed as being recalled!!

    As I write this on the Thursday evening, I have still received no fax or direct information from the TGA. I am told of updates by consumers, who receive their information from news bulletins and newspapers.

    Is there no network between the TGA and proprietors, other than through the media?

    Were Nature's Own, Bioglan et al aware of any investigation into Pan Pharmaceuticals, and the chance of recalls. If so, why were we able to complete orders just before ANZAC day?

    And finally,

    Are those in the media who have emotively driven people into a panic with regards to all healthcare products (for the simple reason that it sells newspapers) having any difficulty in sleeping at night?


    Back to Front Page