Prescription Drugs- Keeping Pace With New Releases
Last month the FDA approved forty medications and 6 new medications obtained tentative approval.
With so numerous medications being produced and approved it is mind boggling to fathom how physicians, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, can keep up with the information.
At last Auidiolearn.net is the perfect information conduit. They provide audios with over 500 commonly prescribed medications. The public and medical professionals can also subscribe to the monthly updates at no charge. Audio learning? What a great idea. The audio includes mechanism of action, side effects, indications and interactions. When else will these busy people have an opportunity to keep up the most recent medications?
It is not hard to know of a doctor who has not heard of a newly approved medication that will have fewer side effects or treat an illness more effectively. When was the last time a doctor ordered a less effective drug than one that recently approved for distribution prescribe the most current medication? No one knows. It is going to take which is inferior to alternative available. Some patients endure painful side effects, such as, muscle aches, stomach pain, nausea, bloating, cramping and rapid heart beat or worse.
Many insurance companies don’t cover brand name drugs, when a generic alternative is available. What happens if the drug store fills a prescription as ordered and there is a generic available? A drug store that is aware of the generics available may cal the doctor to see if they will the generic. A pharmacist when they try to charge the insurance company and it comes back. Sometimes it does not come to anyone’s attention until the order is filled and the customer goes to pick up their prescription.
They ask the pharmacy tech why the charge is so high and the technician looks into it. Of course, this takes up the pharmacist’s valuable. They come back and say that a generic is available and the insurance company will not provide the coverage to brand name drugs! Some consumers may ask that the pharmacist contact the doctor.
Alternatively, most consumers don’t know better. They won’t say anything and will either pay the higher price or not purchase the medications regardless of how badly it is needed. The higher price without insurance coverage is not affordable for numerous customers.
This may seem unbelievable, but there are millions of elderly consumers who have to choose between prescriptions and eating. They simply don’t have funds for both. Obviously, it is an unacceptable situation, but it takes time and energy to stay current.
If you are a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, pharmacy tech please take an active part in providing your patients with the most current information.
- CF Thompson
:: Aug.21.2008 :: Uncategorized ::
