Dispensing Law

[Gazzaswife]

Hello, could I ask a legal question please?

Since last March, following a trabeculectomy, my husband has been prescribed Trusopt, 3 doses per day. This has never been a problem, until last weekend when the pharmacist in Superdrug refused to split a box of 60, and would only give out one box. Obviously this has left us short, but his responses to our protests were, go elsewhere then, get another prescription, and I don’t like your attitude.

Is a pharmacist allowed to dispense less than the prescription states?? If not, what should we do? Thank you.

[whitedog]

Are they the single use ones?

I'm a bit confused. I just looked it up and it says they come in packs of 60 or 30. So do you usually get a prescription for the box of 60?

[SpanishFlea]

Is the problem possibly with the prescription? If the wording is 3 x 30 doses and the pharmacy only has 60 dose packs, they would normally order the 30s in. Best check the prescription wording because the pharmacy can only dispense as prescribed. Good luck!

[Gazzaswife in reply to SpanishFlea]

The prescription has been the same since March 2024. It states 90 units. If this medication is available in a box of 30 should the pharmacist not have given 60 , ordered 30 and given a ticket to collect later?? He didn’t. He flatly refused to give the prescribed dose, and I think that must be wrong??

[SpanishFlea in reply to Gazzaswife]

It certainly sounds wrong. When problems like this arise, I contact the prescription clerk at the GPs and it gets resolved. Polite persistence is your best bet.

[Bellamolly60 in reply to SpanishFlea]

Good advise

[USME]

I would contact the Dr/prescriber for assistance. I have been on numerous, changing scripts for over 35 years and have run out of drops many times resulting in frustrating, ongoing discussions with the prescriber, the pharmacist and my health plan. I belive DR's/prescribers should have the final say in scripts, period.

[YoungontheOutside]

They should have issued this as a partial prescription and an undertaking to provide him with the remainder within a few days.