Giving patients choice where to get their medicines
Published on: Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Penang: Doctors can continue to dispense with proper prescriptions and labelling, said President of the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS), Datuk Nancy Ho.She said this is one of the three areas identified by the Health Ministry to achieve a win-win situation, taking into consideration the concerns and comments from relevant parties."The other two areas relate to improving the standards of dispensing practices, and giving patients the choice where to get their medicines.
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"The Health Ministry's Pharmaceutical Services Division (PSD) is now making the necessary amendments to the existing law in order to execute the recommendations as soon as possible," she said in a statement in conjunction with MPS 48th Annual General Meeting held at the Bayview Beach Resort Hotel, here.Quoting the Health Ministry, Ho disclosed that the total drug bill of Malaysia amounts to RM2.38 billion with RM1.79 billion spent on hospital drugs. "Until the end of 2014, a total of 43.42 million prescriptions were dispensed with 1.13 million patients being counselled in hospitals," she said.According to her, presently, there are 12,800 registered pharmacists in Malaysia with 60pc engaged in the public sector. The ratio of pharmacist to population now stands at 1:2,541. As the population of graduates now exceeds 1,200 yearly, it is expected that by 2016, Malaysia will achieve the recommended WHO ratio of 1 pharmacist to every 2,000 population.
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Today, there are some 6,000 private GP Clinics and 2,600 Community Pharmacies and the ratio is 1 pharmacist to 2.5 GP. Hence the number of community pharmacy has increased in preparation of Dispensing Separation.Historically, the first Pharmaceutical Association in this country was formed in Penang over 100 years ago. "Since then, pharmacists have moved forward by leaps and bounds. In fact, the first pharmacy in this country could have been established most probably also in Penang in the late 1800s," Ho said.
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Some 650 pharmacists attended the AGM which coincided with the Society's 48th Anniversary. Related activities included the Northern Pharmacists Convention and Annual Dinner as well as a special Public Forum focusing on issues encountered by pharmacists with emphasis on Community Pharmacy Practice.Among the many topics for the Convention were "Life Long Learning towards Specialisation in the Pharmacy Practice", "Pharmacy Practice in Community: A Vision for Future", "The Impact-full Role of Hospital Pharmacists in the Profession" and "Moving Forward, Overcoming Challenges of Community Pharmacy Practice in Malaysia". The programme with the theme Pharmacy Practice in the New Era also highlighted new methods of treatment and new ways to use existing technology.Ho said Continuing Professional Education (CPD) is an important agenda for the MPS as it keeps the profession up to date, adding "As a result, the betterment of patient healthcare is assured." With the advent of new media, she asserted that the spread of information is so rapid that pharmacists must consistently keep moving forward to gather new knowledge. "They must utilise more informatics and technology to better their skills of communication."Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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