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Availability of schedule 3 preparations from community pharmacies.
The Medical Journal of Australia
|December 1, 1979
Summary
Pharmacies frequently failed to supervise sales of Schedule 3 (S3) medications as required by law. Despite pharmacists knowing the regulations, direct pharmacist supervision was absent in most S3 preparation purchases.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy Practice
- Public Health
Background:
- Schedule 3 (S3) preparations are subject to specific regulations for sale.
- Commonly misused S3 preparations include Phensedyl linctus, Avil tablets, and Ponderax tablets.
- Regulations mandate direct pharmacist supervision for S3 preparation sales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accessibility of commonly misused Schedule 3 (S3) preparations from pharmacies.
- To evaluate compliance with regulations regarding the sale of S3 preparations.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 29 randomly selected pharmacies was conducted.
- Purchases of specific S3 proprietary formulations were attempted.
- A follow-up study involved questioning pharmacists about their regulatory knowledge.
Main Results:
- Direct pharmacist supervision, as required by law, did not occur in the majority of S3 preparation purchases.
- All surveyed pharmacists were aware of the regulations governing S3 preparation sales.
- Pharmacists reported compliance with the regulations despite observed purchasing practices.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant gap between regulations and practice concerning the sale of S3 preparations.
- Further interventions are needed to ensure pharmacist supervision in S3 preparation sales.
- Understanding pharmacist knowledge versus actual practice is crucial for regulatory enforcement.