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Posted: Friday, 05 October 2007 3:56PM
FDA Considers New Prescription Rules
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 SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Those wanting to skip a trip to the doctor before getting a prescription for certain medications may soon be able to do so under a plan being considered by the FDA. The drugs would be made available with only a pharmacist consultation.
The class of medicines under consideration for the program include birth control pills, cholesterol drugs and migraine medication. While many patients are expressing enthusiasm for the plan, especially in the face of skyrocketing health care costs, doctors aren’t so sure.
"The doctors of California are concerned about patient safety issues. Clearly patients are not clinicians and we're worried about self diagnosis and self treatment," said Dr. Anmol Mahal, president of the California Medical Association.
Pharmacists have mixed feelings. Phil Jaber, who works in Alameda, told KCBS he would feel secure offering birth control without a prescription, but uncomfortable giving out drugs like cholesterol medication. "We provide a good source of patient education, but I think there has to be a class of pharmacists that could be called prescribing pharmacists. Not all pharmacists would be competent to prescribe and we're not all trained in diagnosis," he said.
The FDA plans to address concerns at a meeting next month.
 Analysis from Dr. Bill Soller, a professor of clinical pharmacy at UCSF
(RdD)
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Copyright 2007, KCBS. All Rights Reserved.
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