There are many laws that
govern how medications that are classified as prescription
drugs are available for sale. These drugs are labeled as prescription
drugs because:
They will cause injury if used improperly
•They may cause injury even if used properly (side
effects/allergies)
•They
may have the potential to be abused by people (addictions)
•They may have been banned for use in food animal species (food
residue problems)
•They may have the potential to cause medication-resistant
organisms (super bugs)
For these reasons prescription drugs are not
available to any patient without
a diagnosis being made by a licensed veterinarian and a
prescription being written and recorded
in the patient's medical records. A diagnosis can only be made
through a physical examination and with the use of specific
diagnostic tests. This means that a diagnosis cannot be made
over the telephone. Furthermore, both the client and patient
must have a valid relationship with the prescribing
veterinarian. This means that in order to have refills applied
to a prescription:
•The veterinarian must have examined that patient for that
specific problem,
•The veterinarian must have examined that patient in the
previous 12 months,
•The problem must have been diagnosed as one requiring
long-term treatment, and
•The owner must be seen as complying with the instructions of
the veterinarian.
No new prescription can be written for a prescription drug
without a physical exam and diagnosis by your veterinarian. We
cannot refill medications prescribed at other veterinary
clinics as veterinary clinics are not considered to be
pharmacies. To practice ethically and responsibly, these are
the rules we must follow. We are happy to discuss your
animal's medications with you, and to discuss what constitutes
a chronic disease condition.
We hope this gives you some understanding
into why we often say "No" to requests for prescriptions and
refills. We are not trying to be difficult, but to follow the
guidelines that have been set out for us. |
