Question

A patient brings in a prescription for Propecia® written by a known physician on a plain piece of paper. The paper is not a prescription blank, but just a plain white sheet of paper with all the needed information hand written. The pharmacist should?

1) Fill the prescription as it is written
2) Refuse to fill the prescription
3) Contact the physician to verify the prescription
4) Ask the patient to bring a prescription on a proper prescription blank

Answer 1

The pharmacist should contact the physician to verify the prescription for Propecia® written on plain paper.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a pharmacist encounters a prescription for Propecia® written on a plain piece of paper instead of an official prescription blank, the best course of action would typically be to contact the physician to verify the prescription. While a prescription does not necessarily have to be on a specialized blank to be valid, verification is key to ensuring the authenticity of the prescription, especially given the unusual circumstances. In this scenario, choosing to contact the physician upholds the pharmacist's duty to ensure patient safety and medication accuracy.