Contraceptive pill available from your local pharmacy???

[Space cat]

Quite apart from the age issue, does anybody think pharmacists should be able to 'prescribe' the contraceptive pill at all? I know they're a knowledgable lot but they don't have access to your medical history. Your GP does. Is this not one step away from buying them off the supermarket shelf?

There are enough anomalies already:

1) If I want to buy cocodamol (codeine + paracetamol) I have to go to a pharmacy. Any reason why? I don't need a prescription for it. Every time I do this I get asked the same questions: "Are they for yourself?" or "Have you used them before? or, sometimes, "Are you on any other medication?" I find this exercise completely pointless because anybody will quickly learn what answers are expected. Very occasionally I get a reminder not to use them in conjunction with paracetamol. That's good advice because the most dangerous component in cocodamol is the paracetamol. But I can buy that off the shelf.

2) If I want a pack of twelve imodiums (or is that imodia?), I have to go to a pharmacy but I can buy two packs of six straight off the shelf. Why should this be? The only difference is that the two smaller packs cost more.

Surely a drug is either prescription only or it isn't, which brings me back to the contraceptive pill. This isn't like a cure for headaches or diarrhoea that you use only when needed. It's a drug that many women take day after day for many years and, in my opinion at least, it should be prescribed by a doctor. For the benefit of those who think age matters, I've included some extra poll options.

 

[AronSearle]

You provide no reason why it should be prescribed by a doctor?

 

[Space cat]

You provide no reason why it should be prescribed by a doctor?

I'm not quite sure what you mean. Are you asking for an extra poll option whereby it isn't available at all, from any source? Well I suppose that's a fair question but I think it needs a different poll. Why not start one.

 

[AronSearle]

in my opinion at least, it should be prescribed by a doctor

I am simply asking why you have such an opinion?





As to the poll, I'm not female so don't really care either way.

 

[chapeau]

Pharmacists know a lot more about medicines than doctors. In fact, if I had my way, doctors would diagnose disease, pharmacists would prescribe the medicines to cure it. Or at least make the disease affect you less.

The easier we make the contraceptive pill to obtain the better.

If there was a way of putting it in the drinking water and only affect females of child bearing age who were not fit to bring up a child I'd do it.

How about putting it in Jagermeister? If you drink that stuff then you are by definition incapable of raising a child. Lots of young women seem to like it. Might make it taste better too.

 

[Space cat]

I am simply asking why you have such an opinion?

The question comes down to whether it should be a prescription drug or not. (Maybe I clouded the issue by bringing age into it.) As I tried to point out, anything available from a pharmacy without prescription might as well be freely available off the supermarket shelf.

The day may come when the contraceptive pill is considered safe enough to be sold in this way but, for now, I think it's better to err on the side of caution. If you need a prescription your doctor has the opportunity to do a few basic medical checks, like measuring your blood pressure and your weight. (S)he also knows about any medical conditions you may have and what other (prescribed) medication you're taking and can check for possible side effects.

 

[snico]

It's a drug that many women take day after day for many years and, in my opinion at least, it should be prescribed by a doctor.

You gave the answer in your comment.....

Doctors have better things to be doing than giving out contraceptive pill every day.

Also, Chemists have a far better knowledge about medications than a doctor does.....makes sense to let them pescribe them.

 

[chapeau]

The day may come when the contraceptive pill is considered safe enough to be sold in this way but, for now, I think it's better to err on the side of caution

It already is that safe.

It's one of the safest things you can chuck in your body.

Safer than aspirin, paracetamol, nicotine, alcohol all of which you can buy in your local corner shop from a guy who has zero gcse qualifications.

Safer than smoked streaky bacon, most ready meals, butter and eggs.

And it protects against certain diseases too.

Gives women control over their own body.

A marvellous product in fact. Far too important to be controlled by doctors.

 

[joinerjohn]

Yep,, totally safe ehh? Look here http://www.ditchthepill.org/

And here http://bodyecology.com/articles/dangers_birth_control_pill.php

Increased risk of cervical and breast cancers
Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Migraines
Higher blood pressure
Gall bladder disease
Infertility
Benign liver tumors
Decreased bone density
Yeast overgrowth and infection
Increased risk of blood clotting

 

[Space cat]

-- doctors would diagnose disease, pharmacists would prescribe the medicines --

That's not a bad idea except that the pharmacist would need access to your medical notes. Some people might object to that.

The easier we make the contraceptive pill to obtain the better.

I agree but there are some out there who don't - often for reasons they aren't quite prepared to put into words. (In most cases they just can't accept the concept of risk-free sex. ) In the early days, it was really quite difficult to obtain (I think you had to be married with a minimum number of children already) but those days are, thankfully, long gone. If your doctor won't prescribe it there might be a good medical reason. If in doubt, get a second opinion - or maybe a new doctor. As another doctor once said, you don't have to put up with a hippocratic oaf!

If there was a way of putting it in the drinking water --

If my memory is correct, that was seriously considered in the late sixties.

 

[trollmaster2000]

Increased risk of cervical and breast cancers
Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Migraines
Higher blood pressure
Gall bladder disease
Infertility
Benign liver tumors
Decreased bone density
Yeast overgrowth and infection
Increased risk of blood clotting

As opposed to

Children giving birth
Children, giving, actual BIRTH
Risk of lifetime as a scrounger
A generation of childern brought up by people who aren't equipped to be parents.
The societal decay resulting from the above point.
Scum
AIDS
Chav
Armageddon

 

[mysteryman]

I wish they had been 45 years ago.

 

[skyboy]

Pharmacists prescribing...

er no thank you.

Am I the only person here noticing the ridiculously unethical conflict of interests?



Other than that a paharmacists cannot edit your medical records therefore it will lead to disaster when someone goes to a GP who then prescribes a contra - indicating medication.

we will end up with strokes - blood clots - bleeds and all sorts of problems as medication levels end up being a guessing game.

Pharmacists should stick to managing the medication and being used as a double check for dosage conformity.

While a pharmacist in Isolation could hypothetically prescribe on a single condition without access to medical records he will not have the full picture on dependencies , allergies etc etc.

I vote no and the same goes for the pill for young girls. Chatting over a counter is NO substitute for sitting in private and talking to a trained GP working to guidelines.

 

[MisterG]

Quite apart from the age issue, does anybody think pharmacists should be able to 'prescribe' the contraceptive pill at all? I know they're a knowledgable lot but they don't have access to your medical history. Your GP does. Is this not one step away from buying them off the supermarket shelf?

There are enough anomalies already:

1) If I want to buy cocodamol (codeine + paracetamol) I have to go to a pharmacy. Any reason why? I don't need a prescription for it. Every time I do this I get asked the same questions: "Are they for yourself?" or "Have you used them before? or, sometimes, "Are you on any other medication?" I find this exercise completely pointless because anybody will quickly learn what answers are expected. Very occasionally I get a reminder not to use them in conjunction with paracetamol. That's good advice because the most dangerous component in cocodamol is the paracetamol. But I can buy that off the shelf.

2) If I want a pack of twelve imodiums (or is that imodia?), I have to go to a pharmacy but I can buy two packs of six straight off the shelf. Why should this be? The only difference is that the two smaller packs cost more.

Surely a drug is either prescription only or it isn't, which brings me back to the contraceptive pill. This isn't like a cure for headaches or diarrhoea that you use only when needed. It's a drug that many women take day after day for many years and, in my opinion at least, it should be prescribed by a doctor. For the benefit of those who think age matters, I've included some extra poll options.

The main reason for some of the above is to prevent people overdosing on a whim, whether it works or not is another debate.

 

[libby lou lou]

You don't have to go to a chemist for either of those medicines, t esco sells them, as do most £££ shops, can't see the checkout girl being much help your diahreaa (sp) though.