DOCTORS' PRESCRIPTION AND THE PATIENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 June 1918, Page 3

DOCTORS' PRESCRIPTION AND THE PATIENT.

To the Editor. Sir,—Being a visitor to Taranaki I wish to draw the attention of the authorities and the putilic generally to a little matter, I happened to visit a Taranaki town and was unfortunately taken ill. I visited a certain doctor and was given a prescription aid was told to take it to "so and bo" to he dispensed. Was there not legislation brought down as an amendment to the Medical Practitioner Act prohibiting a doctor from "running" a certain chemist or from having consultation hours at a chemist's shop? I am sure there was such legislation, and it's about time some action was taken to put a stop to such system. Why can't a patient go where he or she 'pleases to have his medicine prepared? A doctor's prescription to his patient is the property of the patient (this was fought out in the courts). I should be pleased, Mr Editor, if you will give me some guidance in this matter.—l am, etc.,

PRESCRIPTION. [The prescription is the property of the patient. Medical practitioners are required to write prescriptions in tuch a form that they may be dispensed by any duly qualified chemist. On dispensing a prescription a chemist usually conies the same into his prescription book, thereby making a permanent record of the same, and theh hands the original back to his client. A practice obtains in some places in which doctors write in n form known only to a particular chemist, This is not in accordance with the law. A prescription so written is of camse of no value if taken to any other chemist. It is illegal for medical practitioners to have consultation hears at a chemist's shop.—Ed.] -