Can Pharmacists refuse to dispense certain brands

[Chris Rayner]

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum so please excuse me if this question has been asked before.
I was diagnosed with type 2 about 18 months ago. Metformin was prescribed by my GP but I had constant diarrhoea and was a virtual prisoner in my own home. After 6 weeks she changed my prescription to slow release Metformin. Glucophage worked fine, but then my pharmacist gave me a different brand Metabet. This put me right back where I started and I couldn't tolerate this brand. Today a locum pharmacist at my local chemist refused to give me Glucophage unless my GP states this brand on my prescription. I can only think this is down to cost. Has anyone else had this problem. Thank you.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

I am not type 2 but I am sure that if you go to your chemist and take one of the offending tablets and consume it while there then drop your trousers right in the middle of the shop and demonstrate what hey do to you right on the shop floor or counter then they might kinda see things your way.

I suppose the more regular alternative however probably lies with your GP and you probably need him or her to specify exactly what you need. Most of the chemists in my own town are not this bloody minded. Do you have any other pharmacies in your area?

 

[Diabeticliberty]

Sorry I forgot to add. A very warm welcome to the forum. It is full of really decent people who cope with some of the crappy things that life throws at them with pure guts and determination. Most of the people on here also never seem to stop smiling. It is a good place to be and I hope your stay with us is long and enjoyable.


My name is Geoff, very pleased to meet you.

 

[Chris Rayner]

Hi there,
Yes I actually went to Boots and although they didn't have enough to give me today they have ordered it in and I will collect tomorrow. I will also use them in the future it just seems a bit pathetic that ther is this issue of a different brand when it is supposed to be the same drug. I did read though that Metabet contains a certain amount of talc (not sure if this is correct).
As for your first suggestion not sure that would be a good idea for reasons I had better keep to myself

 

[Chris Rayner]

Sorry I forgot to add. A very warm welcome to the forum. It is full of really decent people who cope with some of the crappy things that life throws at them with pure guts and determination. Most of the people on here also never seem to stop smiling. It is a good place to be and I hope your stay with us is long and enjoyable.


My name is Geoff, very pleased to meet you.

Thank you Geoff, and thank you for replying.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

In fairness I didn't think my first suggestion was a good one either. It would be very interesting to see the reaction of the awkward pharmacist though 😉

 

[Austin Mini]

I have been prescribed different brands of the same drug for years. My doctors decided to prescribe the cheapest insulin needles known to man. I had to go back and get my doctor to specify the needles I useed before the cost cutting. Now I only receive the best needles but have noticed other diabetics get the cheap ones. I told them to have a word with their doctor and have now found out that did the trick.

 

[Chris Rayner]

I have been prescribed different brands of the same drug for years. My doctors decided to prescribe the cheapest insulin needles known to man. I had to go back and get my doctor to specify the needles I useed before the cost cutting. Now I only receive the best needles but have noticed other diabetics get the cheap ones. I told them to have a word with their doctor and have now found out that did the trick.

Hi
Yes I have an appointment in a couple of months with the diabetic nurse so I will ask her to add it to my presciption, and in fairness they do a script for two months at a time for me, but I suppose it just annoyed me today when this pharmacist wouldn't fill the prescription even though he had Glucophage on the shelf. Good job I wasn't desperate for them!

 

[auntiejude]

I'm afraid the pharmacists are obliged to supply the cheapest brand of any drug they have in stock unless otherwise specified - it's part of the NHS standing instructions. But a GP or prescribing nurse can make the specification on your repeat.

 

[Chris Rayner]

I'm afraid the pharmacists are obliged to supply the cheapest brand of any drug they have in stock unless otherwise specified - it's part of the NHS standing instructions. But a GP or prescribing nurse can make the specification on your repeat.

Thank you, but it still seems unfair when you actually explain that there is a reason why a. Retain brand cannot be taken.

 

[Copepod]

Welcome to the forum, Chris Rayner. As others have explained, pharmacists have to dispense the cheapest brand of the generic drug that is prescribed, UNLESS the prescribed specifies a brand that you require. Definitely worth an appointment with your GP to explain your situation and ask for prescription to be changed. S/he will have to over-ride local recommendations, which are always for cheapest option. Cheapest is fine, IF it works for the person taking it.

 

[Austin Mini]

I had no problems changing to what I wanted. You should not have a problem either. Welcome to this forum Chris.

 

[Annette]

Get the specific brand put onto your prescription, and then insist that the pharmacist does it. My MiL has to have a specific brand of blood pressure drugs. One time she had a different kind, they made her quite ill. The pharmacist at the time told her to get it put on her prescription, which she did, should be no problems, you might think. However, when she went in to get her prescription a few times later, she'd got the original kind back. She complained, and was told (by a different pharmacist) that they were all the same and she was making it up. My MiL does not take such things lying down, and wouldnt leave the shop until she'd seen the manager, which she did, explained, was given the right drugs, and the pharmacist was told to basically follow the rules. Until the next time she went i n and it was the same pharmacist, and she got the wrong drugs again. Another complaint to the manager (and to head office, it was Boots!) and she doesnt use that pharmacy any more, just in case this particular pharmacist is on duty!
In other words, despite what the rules say, you might have to make a fuss to get what you need on occasion.

 

[Chris Rayner]

Get the specific brand put onto your prescription, and then insist that the pharmacist does it. My MiL has to have a specific brand of blood pressure drugs. One time she had a different kind, they made her quite ill. The pharmacist at the time told her to get it put on her prescription, which she did, should be no problems, you might think. However, when she went in to get her prescription a few times later, she'd got the original kind back. She complained, and was told (by a different pharmacist) that they were all the same and she was making it up. My MiL does not take such things lying down, and wouldnt leave the shop until she'd seen the manager, which she did, explained, was given the right drugs, and the pharmacist was told to basically follow the rules. Until the next time she went i n and it was the same pharmacist, and she got the wrong drugs again. Another complaint to the manager (and to head office, it was Boots!) and she doesnt use that pharmacy any more, just in case this particular pharmacist is on duty!
In other words, despite what the rules say, you might have to make a fuss to get what you need on occasion.

Thank you Annette,
I think the thing that really annoyed me was that I had already asked before they dispensed the medication that I couldn't take the other brand on their shelf ie Metabet. The assistant asked the pharmacist and he said No, he did not even have the decency to come to the front of the shop to explain his reason. This was My local Tesco. I went round the corner to Boots who although didn't have the amount I needed immediately ordered them and they will be in today. This is the first time I have experienced this, and I have used Tesco pharmacy before and this is the first time of refusal. I'm sure there can't be that much difference in the cost especially if there is a genuine reason.

 

[trophywench]

The difference in cost may not be huge per packet - but a CCG has to look at thousands of people on it - not just you. Hence this happens.

When the Metabet started appearing a number of people had the same prob. But - not everybody does. Hence the only way of finding this out is for each person to try the lower cost brand.

There shouldn't be a prob getting the actual scrip changed at your surgery but it will probably need a GP to actually do it.

 

[eggyg]

Hi and welcome, I think it depends on your pharmacy, I.use a local independent and I must say they are amazing. I had my spleen removed, along with most of my pancreas, 8 years ago so I take 4 x penicillin tablets a day, for life. For years I was given the coated tablets which makes them more ' palatable' then all of a sudden I was given these cheap and nasty uncoated ones which I can only describe as tasting of soil! Yuk! I took them back and explained I have to take these for the rest of my life. They couldn't do enough for me and now they order them in especially for me. It's your body, demand what's right for you!

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Hi Chris, and welcome 🙂

I've had the same problem with being given cheap meds which didn't work instead of my usual ones which did, and the pharmacist wouldn't give me my usual ones either, even when I explained why I needed them. As with your Metformin, the meds he gave me weren't even supposed to be identical to the ones on my prescription - they were also quick release capsules instead of slow release ones (though for something quite different, not diabetes-related). I got my GP to change the prescription - she wasn't allowed to use the brand name but managed to find a way of describing it that meant I would get the right ones - and for good measure I went to a different pharmacy the next time too.