E-DRUG: To Dispense or not to dispense (3)
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This is an ongoing issue in many countries. I would urge Margareth
Magagula to gather data to try to convince people to separate the two
functions. In all studies that I am aware of, dispensing doctors
prescribe more than non dispensing doctors. If you could collect data
to show this, you may be able to convince people that it is better for
cost as well as safety reasons. If you can't separate the functions
then it is reasonable to advocate that the doctor should not profit
from drug sales. Let there be a fixed dispensing fee without markup on
the drugs. Then there is no incentive to prescribe the expensive
drugs. In fact there may be an incentive to prescribe generics to
reduce the cost to the patient.
This is an area where we need good data, particularly of the effect of
changes in regulations.
Good luck
Richard Laing
Associate Professor of International Health
Boston University School of Public Health
715 Albany St, T4W, Boston MA 02118 USA
Tel 617 414-1444 Fax 617 638-4476
E-mail richardl@bu.edu
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