People love their pharmacists. In American tradition, th drugstore was a gathering place and the pharmacist was among the most respected members of the community.
A century later, pharmacists still score highest in the public's trust, ranking above physicians and even ministers. They have earned people's confidence through their level of expertise, dedication and availability. Where else can you get instant and free access to a knowledgeable professional?
But today's pharmacists are beleaguered. Many neighborhood pharmacies have been replaced by huge chain stores, and financial pressures are forcing pharmacists to work faster.
Long shifts, understaffing and greater responsibilities are increasing the risk of errors in the prescriptions they fill.
We learned recently of an overworked pharmacist who dispensed the antihistamine Seldane with the antibiotic erythromycin. This combination could lead to a lethal change in heart rhythm.
Although the physician had erred in prescribing these two medications together, normally the pharmacist would have realized the danger and contacted the doctor.
Pharmacists are human, and like the rest of us they occasionally make mistakes.
Dispensing the wrong medicine, the wrong dose, or the wrong information can lead to adverse reactions or even death.
We have personally seen a heart medicine mistakenly dispensed for a blood pressure pill. This could have led to hypertensive crisis. The wrong dose of pain reliever for a young child could lead to poisoning.
"Prime Time Live" reported on a little girl who died because the pharmacist dispensed morphine instead of the less concentrated analgesic that had been prescribed.
The average pharmacy fills more than 100 prescriptions a day, and some large stores can dispense 300 to 500 prescriptions in 24 hours. With that kind of volume and increasing pressure from management to do more with less, pharmacists are feeling overwhelmed.
L Many candidly tell us they need more help and less pressure.
Chains are turning increasingly to pharmacy technicians to fill the gap. Unlike certified pharmacists, the techs have not spent years in school or passed rigorous board exams.
Often these people make just a bit more than minimum wage and are trained by the chain. There is no certification to insure that they meet minimum standards of knowledge and competency. Not only do they fill prescriptions, but they often work the computer and may be called upon to interpret complex drug interaction information.
Although pharm techs must be supervised by a pharmacist, the level of oversight in a busy store may be inadequate.
To protect yourself from pharmacy mistakes, always know what your doctor prescribes and make sure that is what the pharmacist dispenses.
Ask about side effects and interactions.
Most important of all, be patient. It takes time for your pharmacist to do the job safely.
I can never make any sense out of my doctor's prescription, and rely on the pharmacist to type out a label with instructions. What does "hs" mean, anyway?This is a Latin abbreviation for "hora somni," meaning hour of sleep. Take this medicine at bedtime.
Never accept a prescription unless it is written legibly in English. There is too much room for error if you don't understand how to take your medicine correctly.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Dr. Teresa Graedon is a medical anthropologist and nutrition expert. The People's Pharmacy with Joe and Terry Graedon is a call-in show syndicated to many public radio stations.