Comments on: Doctors Prescribe, Pharmacists Dispense, Patients Suffer

By: sonJa_iNC

sonJa_iNC — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:47:29 +0000

Regarding this issue, I’d like to correct the public’s misconception about pharmacists in general. Elsewhere in the developed countries, pharmacists are duty-bound to enquire much into the patients’ medical history and information before diagnosing general diseases and dispensing drugs.
Additionally, if Madam Ong were to approach a pharmacist in Australia, for example, the proper procedure was that the pharmacist would contact the physician who was treating Madam Ong to get more information before dispensing any drugs to her. Thus, avoiding any unnecessary problems.
The problem with the pharmacists in Malaysia today is that some do not follow the necessary procedures before dispensing drugs. Only a few days ago when I was trying to purchase a controlled drug, the pharmacist did not even ask what I intend to use the drug for! However, in my opinion, all this is caused by the complacency that have set in for more than 50 years of being relegated to a 2nd-class medical provider in Malaysia since the Poisons Act of 1952 was implemented in Malaysia. It is also because of this that we have not enough pharmacies in Malaysia (supply-demand) or “Since all clinics are able to dispense medicine, why should I open a pharmacy?”.
So please do not put all the blame on pharmacists. If you want someone to blame, blame it on the government for implementing the Poisons Act 56 years ago.
But I digress. Since it’s virtually impossible to set up so many pharmacies in so many places in such a short time IF our Health Minister implements this change, let me recommend something else. What we can do, for now, is the TRANSPARENCY in the doctors’ bills. If you know how much the doctor is charging you for what type of drugs, then it’s a first step in taking control of your medications. Please check out my blog for more points in my argument (http://sonjainc.blogspot.com/2008/04/lot-on-my-head-recently.html).

By: lopez

lopez — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:25:17 +0000

The is a standing instruction out there
make jobs for our graduates…..and who is more interested and duty bound to exercise this line…

But we all know it is a sad story , because it is too dangerous for the general public and there no point is taking sides who does the job better, I find we are being dragged into a problem which does not exist at all.
If it ain;t spoilt don’t repair it, it has worked for 50 years in the private sector, what more do we need to know

Many of the local grad are mistakenly extruded out and are just not there, they are not enough suckers around except ……to take them and we know there is only one big sucker and he want to pass it to …..

By: undergrad2

undergrad2 — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:00:12 +0000

While on the subject of pharmacists and physicians (as they should be called to avoid confusion - you don’t want limkamput with a fictitious Ph.D. from Kazakhstan in palm reading to set up a medical clinic in your neigborhood, believe me!), why should we be concerned with how physicians called GP in Malaysia, called primary care physician where I am now, make their living? Our first priority should be to the patient.

Malaysia’s belief in the laissez-faire economy suggests that the number of doctors like lawyers and the other professions is best left to the free market forces. There is a need for more pharmacists in Malaysia. So you budding physicians may want to reconsider. If you intend to migrate to the U.S. the chances of you finding a job as a pharmacist are better. They don’t have enough pharmacists here.

By: undergrad2

undergrad2 — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:41:18 +0000

In case you budding pharmacists and doctors don’t already know, the narcissistic personality we’re talking about is none other than this Malay Pak Lebai from Kg. Attap somewhere in Hokkien speaking area who now prowls the threads of this blog. He is delusional even when it comes to his race!

He is a nimcompoop who uses the handle ‘limkamput’ and this is by his own admission.

By: undergrad2

undergrad2 — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:35:35 +0000

“What if the patient ignores both the doctor and the pharmacist and goes on a self-medication spree instead ?” GODFATHER

Then you”ll have an old paranoid schizophrenic with a narcissistic personality prowling the streets of Kg. Attap for young girls! You’ll have an MP from Kg. Attap who waits at the door of Parliament every day including days when Parliament is not in session, representing a non-existing constituency, who sometimes would refuse to leave Parliament demanding that as Agong he doesn’t have to.

By: syncbasher83

syncbasher83 — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:27:43 +0000

hahaha papaya,

clean the ditches and sweep the floor
serves u right!
and of course u dont mind
coz ur level is just store keeping lah…

By: Emily Pratt

Emily Pratt — Wed, 07 May 2008 08:01:42 +0000

Our world is getting complex. The nature of modern medicine is very complex. To put the entire burden on doctor is too much, that is why even in medicine we have cardiologist to handle cases pertaining to heart, even that we have sub-specialization like cardiothoraxic surgeon… etc.

I would not want a cardiologist to perform maxillo-facial surgery on me and neither would I want a dentist to perform open-heart surgery even though both carry a medical or similar degree.

In the same vein, a pharmacist are specialist in pharmacology and its pharmaceutical practice, and it is only proper that a specialist handle its own department. I would not want it any other way.

By: Papayamilk

Papayamilk — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:09:14 +0000

Graduated by going to the ward? Something must be wrong with our education system here. Failed theory but still given chance to go clinical? Try studying in other country and see whether u can graduate or not. Our true ‘jaguh kampung’. Dah kantoi banyak kali tapi masih lagi gred ya, boleh tahan. u knoe i knoe la. bahasa mat salleh nie tak penting sebenarnye. Yay Malaysia Boleh!!!!

For your information I no longer work for doctors. I am not ashame though for my past working experience at least that is legal money. If my ex-bosses asked me to clean the ditches and sweep the floor, I don’t mind as long as I am paid.

On the other hand, I wonder why government employ lousy doctors like you to work for the people. That is truly a waste of money. In the labour room the midwives are all more experienced than u are. In the outpatient clinic u just copy everything prescribed by previous doctors from patient’s medical records. Are u sure u are copying the right thing? So u graduated with lousy pharmacology, but u managed to learn it bit by bit while working as a doctor, and after countless times of mistakes only to get the dosage correct. How many times have u been scolded by ur superior for stupid answers during ward rounds? And yet, you still have the guts to talk cocky like you are way superior than people from other professions, in broken english la of course. Malaysia Boleh la of course!

By: syncbasher83

syncbasher83 — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:16:20 +0000

hahaha papaya,

serves u right, ur store keeping attitude showed it all. luckily ur bosses had realized it earlier that u worth nothing but store keeping
store keeping lah for the rest of ur life…
how did i manage to graduate? by going to the wards lah…
how did u manage to graduate? by store keeping maybe…haha
of course im contributing to my people…
unless some other, keep the pace at store keeping man…
u knoe store keeping which im sure an attendant can do it better than a graduated pharmacist…like u!

and of course these health attendants are seen more frequently in the wards than the store keeping pharmacist…at least they do their job as defined…
hey not ashamed huh store keeping coward, being paid unnecessarily only for store keeping? what a waste of rakyat’s money…u cheater…

pharmacist is defined as drug dispenser, if these pharmacists are doing their job as defined, ive no problem but
likewise some of them who refused to dispense drugs and always bugging the staff nurses to the job for them…of course its correctly that their bosses throw them into store keeping…haha serves u right!