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Not saying the mother shouldn't have had an epipen. She made mistakes. Should have had one.
But it's just idiotic to claim that a person who HAS a supply of Epi-pens readily available as part of their job should not hand one over when someone is dying right out front on the street. Compared to someone's kid dying, futzing around with prescription papers is a triviality. When it's an emergency and you have the means to do the right thing to save a life, you do the right thing NOW. PERIOD.
Anything less is reprehensible conservative claptrap.
I'm fascinated how it's always the conservative saying stuff like, "well even though the pharmacist had a ton of Epis and could have saved her life instantly, the mom should have had one....sooooo let's just watch the girl gasp out her last breath on the pavement and then go have lunch."
well since the pharmacist didnt see the girl, how could he know she was in distress? the fact is he couldnt, which means he properly fell back on the law that requires a prescription to get an epipen. he had NO idea the girl was in severe distress. if he had seen the girl, in severe distress, and didnt provide the epipen, then i would say you are right, and i would be right beside you saying the pharmacist screwed up.
and pharmacists certainly can dispense medication without a prescription in an emergency situation.
Where does this come from? It keeps popping up, is it in reference to this earlier post?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lvoc
I would expect the rules are similsr to this...
Quote:
Schedule II Controlled Substance Prescriptions
A pharmacist may dispense a schedule II controlled substance, which is a prescription drug as determined under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, only pursuant to a written prescription signed by the practitioner, except in an emergency situation as described below.
Emergency Dispensing
An “emergency prescription” in this context, is defined to mean that the immediate administration of the drug is necessary for proper treatment of the intended ultimate user, that no alternative treatment is available (including a drug which is not a schedule II controlled substance), and it is not possible for the prescribing practitioner to provide a written prescription for the drug at that time. In a bona fide emergency, a practitioner may telephone a schedule II prescription to the pharmacist who may then dispense the prescription. The prescribing practitioner must provide a written and signed prescription to the pharmacy within seven days and meet the below requirements:
The drug prescribed and dispensed must be limited to the amount needed to treat the patient during the emergency period. Prescribing or dispensing beyond the emergency period must be pursuant to a written prescription order. The prescription order must be immediately reduced to writing by the pharmacist and must contain all information, except for the prescribing practitioner’s signature.
If the prescribing individual practitioner is not known to the pharmacist, he/she must make a reasonable effort to determine that the oral authorization came from a registered individual practitioner, which may include a call back to the prescribing individual practitioner using his or her telephone number as listed in the telephone directory and/or other good faith efforts to insure his or her identity.
Within seven days after authorizing an emergency telephone prescription, the prescribing practitioner must furnish the pharmacist a written, signed prescription for the controlled substance prescribed. The prescription must have written on its face “Authorization for Emergency Dispensing” and the date of the oral order. The written prescription may be delivered to the pharmacist in person or by mail, but if delivered by mail, it must be postmarked within the seven day period. Upon receipt, the dispensing pharmacist must attach this written prescription to the oral emergency prescription which had earlier been reduced to writing by the pharmacist. By regulation, the pharmacist must notify the local DEA Diversion Field Office (Appendix K) if the prescriber fails to provide a written prescription within seven days. Failure of the pharmacist to do so will void the authority conferred on the pharmacy to dispense the controlled substance without a written prescription of a prescribing practitioner.
For electronic prescriptions, the pharmacist must annotate the record of the electronic prescription with the original authorization and date of the oral order.
Basically ijn an emergency a Pharmicist can dispense if needed. Note that in some countiries Pharmacist dispensing is very much the same as a Physician.
This simply refers to a pharmacist dispensing, not diagnosing and prescribing. Asking a pharmacist to give any prescription drug without an actual prescription, or authorization from a professional licensed to do so, is tantamount to asking them to diagnose, something no pharmacist in their right mind would do. That's beyond the scope of their training.
You are giving the "Schedule II" regs. EpiPen is a lower regulated Schedule III in the US and AU and most likely UK. In fact, it looks like in AU it is available without prescription. (I know this was UK.)
Adrenaline autoinjectors are recommended for people at risk of anaphylaxis (Table 2). As EpiPen and Anapen are Schedule 3, they are available without prescription at full price. They are also available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) by authority prescription when the risk and clinical need have been assessed by, or in consultation with, a clinical immunologist, allergist, paediatrician or respiratory physician. They can also be prescribed on discharge from hospital or an emergency department after patients have been treated with adrenaline for anaphylaxis. Adults and children are able to obtain two adrenaline autoinjectors (same brand) on PBS authority prescription. If there is a delay in access to an immunology or allergy specialist, general practitioners can contact the specialist for approval to prescribe the initial adrenaline autoinjector. The patient must be referred to a specialist for diagnosis, education and assessment for immunotherapy (for example for bee sting anaphylaxis). Once a patient has been prescribed an adrenaline autoinjector by authority prescription, subsequent prescriptions can be provided by general practitioners."
The pharmacist was a damn idiot. There are times to say legality be damned and do the right thing.
Police and a reporter viewed the chemist's video (with audio) and determined that the mother hadn't indicated that anything was amiss (from an earlier post in this thread).
Can I have an epipen? You need a prescription. OK, thanks, bye.
The mother then left the store and decided that they would walk to the hospital a few blocks away - they didn't make it. Not until her daughter collapsed on the sidewalk did she realize how serious it was, and prior to that hadn't tried to call 911 or ask the pharmacist to call 911.
Its a tragedy and mom has to live with the guilt of taking her daughter to a Chinese restaurant, leaving the epipen at home, not realizing the seriousness of the situation until it was too late, not calling 911, and not explaining the situation to the chemist.
Mom has now dedicated herself to a national program to have EpiPens (shelf life 6-9 months) made available "in all schools, creches (nurseries), and restaurants with trained 1st responders."
Emma's Voice Petition
(Imagine the right wing uproar if gov't tried to impose this requirement on restaurants)
"Under new EU rules, coming into effect on December 13, all restaurants, pubs, cafes and delicatessens will have to inform customers if any of their meals or food dishes contain any ingredients from a list of 14 that could cause a serious allergic reaction.
The potential allergens include nuts, shellfish, eggs, fish, soya bean products, milk, celery, mustard and sesame seeds. The list also includes gluten, which cannot be tolerated by people with coeliac disease.
The rules also apply to food sold from counters in shops, takeaways, contract caterers, food stalls, work and school canteens."
(Imagine the right wing uproar if gov't tried to impose these requirement on restaurants)
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