Some of the most important decisions in your life will be made when you’re ill. There are lots of things that could be going wrong that you don’t know about until you’re sick.
My wife and I had an appointment with a pharmacist and they were discussing exactly what to do for me. We were so nervous, but after talking to the pharmacist, we were given a list of medications to select from, and we both went along with it. We knew we would both have to take some different meds at different times.
Pharmacists are like any other medical professional. They can advise you on which meds are best for you, and which meds are best to avoid, but they are neither qualified to make decisions for you nor to provide you with the information you need. They are, however, experts in the medical field, so they can advise you on what you need to take for you, and they can tell you about the side effects of the meds youre taking.
Pharmacies are like doctors. But unlike doctors, they are not medical professionals. Pharmacies are medical professionals who provide you with the information you need and the meds that are best for you.
Pharmacies are a great resource for finding information about your drug regimen. They can also tell you about side effects of meds youre taking, and they can help you find the right one to fit your body. But they are not doctors. Nor do they care about you, their patients, or your wellbeing.
You might be thinking, well, I get to choose what I do with my meds, but that’s not true. There are some meds that are only prescribed to doctors and not used by patients. These are called “off label” meds, and they are the ones that doctors don’t necessarily prescribe to patients. Pharmacies do not have the legal authority to prescribe off-label drugs.
This is true. Pharmacies are restricted to offering off-label meds. However, some off-label meds are not even prescribed by the doctors. So if you are on any of that, it is important to know that you are.
Off-label meds are not regulated by the FDA, so you are on your own to know what is and isnt. In many states laws vary depending on the state you are in. You are best off using someone who practices in your state, or even if you have a doctor in your state, you may want to get a referral.
Pharmacies in the US are not required to offer off-label meds. However, some of these meds are not prescribed for people with certain conditions. So if you have one of those conditions (like heart conditions or cancer), you need to know what is and isnt available. You are best off asking a trusted pharmacist.
My advice for those with any prescription meds is to ask about the generic brand name that you are taking and to get a referral for a trusted pharmacist with that brand.