Indication or diagnosis should be required on prescriptions

Although prospective drug utilization review and patient counseling have long been recognized as professional and ethical responsibilities of pharmacists, the implementation of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 made them legal responsibilities. Ensuring the safety and effectiveness of prescription pharmaceutical care requires that all members of the prescriber-patient-pharmacist triad are equally informed about the therapeutic plan for which the pharmacist is professionally, ethically, and legally responsible for properly implementing. Providing pharmacists with the clinical indication or diagnosis is an important and long overdue first step. DISCLOSURES: No funding was received for the writing of this article. Warholak has received grant funding through the University of Arizona from Sinfonia Rx, Pharmacy Quality Alliance, and the Arizona Department of Health Services, unrelated to this work. The other authors have nothing to disclose.