To request a transfer of your prescription, you can either call or go in person to the new pharmacy. Provide the new pharmacy with the names of all the drugs, together with the dose information and Rx numbers, that you wish to transfer. Please include the contact information for your existing pharmacy.
Can I ask my doctor to change my prescription?
A number of pharmacies will alter a customer’s prescription without first informing them. July 28, 2009 — — Imagine going to the drugstore to get a refill on a prescription, only to find out after the fact that the medication you were given was not the one your physician had recommended.
Someone else’s prescription was substituted for yours without either your permission or knowledge. Not only changed to a less expensive generic form of the prescription medication, but also moved on to a whole new medication.
Amy Detrick claims that this took place to her, and that her pharmacist made the adjustment to her epilepsy medication without obtaining her approval first. “When you get to that place where your seizures are under control with a dose that is proper, you don’t want to tamper with it,” she said.
- “When you get to that place, your seizures are under control with a dosage that is perfect.” According to Detrick, the switch caused her to have a seizure while she was riding her bike, which resulted in her breaking her leg and her eye socket, both of which required her to go to the hospital;
She claimed that the change in medicine was the cause of her seizure. “If I had been driving at the time, there is a chance that I would have caused an accident. I could have wrapped my car around a telephone pole, but I decided not to “Detrick remarked. According to Detrick’s neurologist, the pharmacy did not notify him of the change in dosage either.
- “Alterations in blood level that might occur as a result of receiving a different medicine are potentially quite problematic;
- If it drops too low, she will have seizures, and if it rises too high, she will feel awful “Dr;
Layne Moore, a neurologist at Detrick who is also an associate professor of clinical neurology at the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, was the one who made the statement. However, the process of exchanging one drug for another is totally lawful in the majority of states.
- The process wherein a patient is shifted from their current medicine to one that belongs to the same class of pharmaceuticals but costs less is referred to as “therapeutic substitution.” The switch might be from a branded pharmaceutical to its generic equivalent, but it could also be to an altogether new medication;
According to the National Consumers League, the types of medications that are switched the most frequently include those that control cholesterol, treat depression and epilepsy, and lower stomach acid. According to Sally Greenberg, the executive director of the league, “We believe that if a patient is switched from one drug to another, that it should not be legal unless the patient and the doctor have been informed and are on board with the switch.” “We believe that if a patient is switched from one drug to another, that it should not be legal unless the patient and the doctor have been informed and are on board with the switch.” Two out of every three persons who had their prescriptions swapped were never informed, according to the findings of a survey that was recently done by the National Consumers League.
According to the group, pharmacists make the change in order to realize financial benefits. “There is no question that medical professionals are coming under intense pressure from insurance corporations to swap patients.
They are exerting pressure on pharmacies to encourage customers to move, “Greenberg stated. An industry group known as America’s Health Insurance Plans stated in an interview with “GMA” that the safety of patients is their number one concern and that the main reason insurance companies advocate for a changeover is so that patients may save money on their drugs.
According to the American Pharmacists Association, prescriptions should only be changed with the agreement of the patient’s attending physician and when doing so is in the patient’s best interest. “Pharmacists do a lot of different things to protect your safety and your health, but I think the patients, too, need to start realizing that, in some cases, it’s good to ask questions,” said Kristen Binaso, the senior director of corporate alliances for the American Pharmacists Association.
“I think the patients, too, need to start realizing that, in some cases, it’s good to ask questions,” said Kristen Binaso. Detrick concurred and expressed the hope that her tale may assist in the prevention of similar disastrous shifts. According to Detrick, the first thing that individuals need to do is ensure that they are aware of the situation.
“Do not be scared to seek knowledge and ask questions,” the speaker said. It is essential to have a thorough understanding of the dimensions, characteristics, and makeup of any medicines that you regularly consume.
If you are going to be starting a new medicine, the physician’s desk reference that is available on www.pdrhealth.com will include an image of that medication. You should request that your physician put “DAW,” which stands for “dispense as written,” on the prescription.
In addition, request that your pharmacist add a notation to your file stating that you do not want any of your prescriptions switched without first receiving your permission to do so. If you have discovered that the pharmacist has changed your medicine without your permission, you are required to call the office of your physician and explain why you require the particular medication that was given to you.
It’s possible that your insurance company won’t cover a name-brand drug, in which case you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket while your doctor helps you appeal the decision.
Can a prescription be altered?
It is advisable to print out a fresh prescription rather than make any handwritten changes, which should only be done in unusual or extraordinary circumstances. Any changes need to be written in the doctor’s own handwriting and then countersigned. Additionally, the computer records need to be updated to completely reflect any changes that have been made.