Now, I'm practicing in Australia where we have seperation of dispensing right from the doctor. Many points were made in previous posts about the advantages and the basis of giving the dispensing right to pharmacist. The one I wish to highlight is the regulatory/law monitoring of the drugs. What and how much drug someone is selling needs to be regulated. This is most important in regulating prohibited drugs and drugs of addiction. Govern have to then expand the regulatory body to make sure the correct practices have been complied by both doctors and pharmacists.

Not an easy process if you ask me. Politics and buerocracy. Perhaps a good lobbying group from pharmacist association. (is there one in Malaysia?)

Another aspect is the mind set of the general public. They expect to pay less with lesser ailment when they see the doctor. This is applicable in Malaysia where common illness can be treat with common medication. If dispensing right were to be taken away from doctors, they will have to charge their patient base of time spent and procedure done on consulting patients. Someone mentioned RM30 for a single consultation to be implemented if the system commenced in Malaysia. Well, the cost here is Australia is AUD30+ for a 10-20 mins consultation. However, the government subsidises the medical fees. Most people in Malaysia will find this hard to accept.

As above mention, the change will directly increase the cost for healthcare in Malaysia. Whether or not the public are willing to have a safer and more stringent medication dispensing at the cost of increased healthcare cost its up to the public and politician I guess.

While the implementation means more business to the pharmacist, it also mean [B]significantly more work load and more responsibility.

Hopefully this system will eventually be implemented but much more education and change in mindset have to be done by the general public, doctors and well as the pharmacist.

P.S I do choose lifestyle over money anytime.

This post has been edited by dunaskwhy: Feb 20 2009, 04:32 PM