Dr. Nidhi Pandey, P07183, Dr. Mangilal Garg, Dr. Vijaya Sahu
Aim :With increasing emphasis by authorities on prescribing drugs with generic names, this study was done to assess consequences of writing generic ophthalmic prescriptions . Methods Prescriptions were sent across 30 medical stores with 3 eye drops in each prescription using generic names. Results 50 out of the 90 eye drops (55%) dispensed were of the more expensive brands.
In 2 prescriptions Brimonidine was substituted for a combination with Timolol. Ketorolac was substituted for combination with Moxifloxacin. In 4 prescriptions of lubricating eye drops, the chemist could not comprehend the drug. Conclusion More than half of the patients received the costlier brands. Timolol was dispensed on two occasions without prescription, use of which can be life threatening in certain patients. Drug resistance can be a concern if antibiotics are irrationally dispensed along with other drugs. Leaving the crucial decision of ophthalmic drug dispensing in the hands of chemists may be disastrous.