Medicines and the law/prescription writing and signed orders Flashcards
when was the medicines act published
1968
what does the medicines act 1968 define
three legal categories of medicine
what are the three legal categories of medicine that the medicines act 1968 defines
- general sales list medicines (GSL)
- pharmacy medicines (P)
- prescription only medicines (POM)
what 2 things does the medicines act 1968 define about the general sales list GSL
- GSL medicines can be sold by a wide range of shops, such as news agents and supermarkets
- often only a small pack size or low strength of the medicine may be sold
what does the medicines act 1968 state about the pack size of general sales list medicines of paracetamol in shops
the largest pack size of paracetamol that shops can sell is 16 tablets
what does the medicines act 1968 state about the pack size of general sales list medicines of paracetamol in pharmacies
the largest pack size of paracetamol that pharmacies can sell is 32 tablets
what does the medicines act 1968 state about the strength of general sales list medicines of ibuprofen in shops
the highest strength of ibuprofen tablets that shops can sell is 200mg
what does the medicines act 1968 state about the strength of general sales list medicines of ibuprofen in pharmacies
the highest strength of ibuprofen tablets that shops can sell is 400mg
what 2 things does the medicines act 1968 state about pharmacy medicines P
- pharmacy medicines can only be sold from pharmacies and a pharmacist must make or supervise the sale (so pharmacists can intervene if necessary)
- pharmacists may ask patients if they have any medical conditions or take any other medications, to check that it is safe to take the medicine
as part of the medicines act 1968 on pharmacy medicines P, what may a pharmacist ask patients and why
if they have any medical conditions or take any other medications
to check that it is safe to take the medicine
who were the only 2 groups or people allowed to prescribe when the medicines act 1968 was published?
and who else is also now allowed to legally prescribe since then?
- doctors and dentists
- now several professions can legally prescribe supplementary or independent prescribers including: nurses, pharmacists, pediatrists, physiotherapists etc
what does the medicines act 1968 state about prescription only medicines
prescription only medicines cannot be without a prescription from an appropriate prescriber
what are some prescription only medicines classed as, and name 3 examples
classed as controlled drugs such as:
morphine, pethidine and methadone
what applies to class controlled prescription only medicines
stricter legal controls
when did the human medicines regulations come into force and what did it replace
on 14th august 2012 - medicines for human use in the UK
this replaced the medicines act 1968 and subsequent medicines legislation