When drugs are prescribed over the telephone or by someone who is not a an M.D. problems may occur. It is extremely important that patients and parents know if there will be problems with a new drug when other medicines are being taken. Many of those who prescribe drugs do not ask what other drugs are being taken. The individual may also not check to see if the new drug will interact and cause problems with other drugs being taken. There was a wonderful pharmacist in the town where I had my pediatric practice. I could call him and check on any drug interaction. In San Francisco, I could call the UC Pharmacy hotline and get answers to my questions. I often had to do this for patients for drugs prescribed by other doctors. This was particularly true for neurologists who were seeing patients who had seizures.
Now that many non- M.Ds are able to see patients without supervision by a physician, it is particularly important that patients and parents know if there are going to be side effects with a new drug or if the RX should be taken with food and if there is any drug interaction with other oral medications.
I had a friend whose mother was taking 26 different drugs and no one had checked for any interactions or problems with all the different drugs. It turned out that were when I called my local pharmacist.
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