Pharmacists Seek Policy On Drug Prescription, Dispensing

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has asked for a strategic policy on prescribing and dispensing medicines to grow local brands.

The National Chairman of the association, Mr Adewale Oladigbolu, made the call while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

Oladigbolu pleaded with the physicians to prescribe medicine in their generic name instead of brands.

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“Why should physicians be prescribing Augmentin when we know that there are hundreds of similar products with the same efficacy available in the market registered by NAFDAC?

“If a physician writes Amoxicillin clavulanate capsule which is the generic name for Augmentin, the pharmacist can prescribe any available drug in the category,” he said.

Oladigbolu advised companies to give prior notice to NAFDAC on the exit of pharmaceutical companies and its impact on drugs, both in price and availability.

He explained that regulations are in place to ensure that companies that intend to exit notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to protect shareholders.

According to him, similar regulations should be introduced and implemented through NAFDAC to ensure medicine availability and protect patient’s safety.

“The company must file an exit application with NAFDAC indicating details of the products being manufactured, and state how to sustain the availability of such products in the market,” he said.