Most Frequently Asked Pharmacy Questions
When you shop at a pharmacy, you probably have some recurring questions that you never had the chance to find the proper answers. Here are some of the most common questions patients inquire about in the pharmacy. Hopefully, one of yours will be here.
1. Why does it take so long to fill one prescription?
Filling a prescription is not just a matter of counting pills, dumping them into a container, and affixing a label. The process of filling a prescription requires several steps. The purpose of this procedure is to ensure the patient receives the appropriate medication to treat their condition.
There are several stages that can extend the wait time. The most critical step is the therapeutic check process where the pharmacist reviews the medication’s appropriateness and safety. It ensures that the correct drug is prescribed for the condition with no allergies or side effects or drug interactions with other medicines currently being taken. Should there be any conflict, the pharmacist has to contact the prescriber and correct the problem. If the patient is new to a pharmacy, a file must be created, with personal information entered into the computer system. Sometimes, there may be problems with billing the insurance company; a drug may be on back order and need to be called around other pharmacies to find it; shortage of staff and a myriad of other factors that are beyond the pharmacy control.
2. Why are my usual medications appear differently?
A common reason for a change in the usual drug appearance is that it was substituted with a different manufacturer. In Canada, a drug can be manufactured by several different drug makers. Most of them are deemed interchangeable, meaning, they can be substituted by one or another without affecting its efficacy. Unfortunately, the appearance may be slightly different from company to company.
There are several reasons substitutions happen. A manufacturer decided to discontinue producing the drug; they cannot produce it due to lack of raw materials (back order), or there was a recall due to impurity or failed quality assurance. And finally, insurance companies mandate the use of one manufacturer over the other ones.
When drug substitutions happen, the pharmacy staff will normally advise the patient about the changes. If you pick up your medications and they look different than usual and nobody at the pharmacy advised you about any changes or there are no warning labels on your prescription bottle, it would be safe to contact the pharmacy and confirm that a substitution was made on your prescription. Just to make sure you have not received the wrong medication.
3. What is the dispensing fee?
It’s a fee charged on each prescription, which helps cover the expenses involved in running the pharmacy. In Ontario, the final prescription price includes the drug cost (usually regulated by government), a small markup, and the dispensing fee. Like lawyers, accountants, and dentists, pharmacists also charge a fee, which helps cover pharmacy expenses, including staff wages, rent, equipment, delivery, etc. Keep in mind, pharmacists are not reimbursed and are neither employed by the government.
4. Can I send my friend to pick up my prescriptions?
You may send anyone to collect your medications, provided you give your consent. Due to privacy laws, pharmacy staff cannot give out any information or medications without prior permission. As long as you call ahead and let the pharmacy staff know who is coming to pick up your prescriptions, there should not be any problems. However, when narcotic medications are involved, the person picking up must present a government-issued ID.
5. What is a DIN number and NPN number?
DIN stands for Drug Identification Number. It is an eight-digit unique number issued by Health Canada to any drug that has been reviewed and approved for sale in Canada.
NPN stands for Natural Product Number. It’s a number issued by Health Canada to any natural product that has been reviewed and approved for sale in Canada.
The purpose of the DIN and NPN is to assure consumers and health professionals that any product bearing a DIN or NPN is assumed to have passed rigorous assessment for safety and efficacy.
6. How can I transfer a prescription medication?
Most prescription medications in Canada can be transferred from a pharmacy to any other pharmacy in Canada. Prescription transfers offer convenience and continuity of care for the patient. For example, when somebody moves to a different location and a patient needs to switch pharmacies, all prescriptions from the old pharmacy can be transferred.
Most of the time, all the patient needs to do is contact the new pharmacy and tell them the old pharmacy’s name and phone number and what medications need to get transferred. The pharmacy staff will take care of the rest.
7. Why does my benefit plan not cover my medication?
Drug benefit plans come in different shapes and sizes, and it all depends on what your employer has decided to spend. Some benefit plans are comprehensive and have zero copays or deductibles; some are deferred payments plans (i.e., you pay first from own pocket and get reimbursed later). It’s always a good idea to glance over your employer-sponsored drug benefits and find out what is covered and what is your share of the cost.
8. I Have some expired drugs. Can I still use them?
Most drugs have an expiry date established by the manufacturer. It is the date after which the drug loses more than 70% of its effectiveness. Taking an expired drug would be like taking a chance. It may work or it may not. It all depends on how it was stored, exposure to air and humidity, manufacturing batch, etc. Another problem is that some drugs lose their effectiveness and become toxic if ingested after the expiry date (e.g., tetracycline antibiotics). If you are in doubt, always call the pharmacy.
If you have any more questions about pharmacies, get in touch with the experts at Remedy’s RX Duke Pharmacy. As a small community pharmacy in Toronto, ON, we are committed to rendering a more personal and individual approach to better meet our customers’ medical needs. Therefore, our pharmacists are always readily available to help.
Our services include flu shot services, smoking cessation counseling, medication reviews, cardiovascular coaching, vaccine administration, and prescription transfers. We also offer a personal medication list, home visits, medication disposal, advice about natural health products, medication compliance, and adherence programs, and ohip+.
To learn more about how we can help you, please click here or contact us by clicking here.