Questions in the Pharmacy

Although the risk depends on the individual patient, aspirin can kill asthmatics. Paracetamol and ibruprofen can do the same thing. There is also the fact that aspirin may not be the drug of choice for the problem you are purchasing it for. It doesn't matter how educated you are - a lot of medical professionals miss what is right under their nose.

This has been said already, but healthcare assistants are legally and ethically bound by the Sales of Medicines Protocol. This used to be the WWHAM questions, although now, we are asked to first advise. So instead of us asking you if you've taken aspirin before, and if you're asthmatic etc, we would tell you outright that it shouln't be taken by children (risk of Reye's Syndrome), you shouldn't take it if you're asthmatic (risk of death), you shouldn't take it if you have blood pressure problems (risk of servere cardiac problems) and that if you havn't taken it before, you ought to consult with the pharmacist. Also, would you like any advice?

As for quantities, the law states that certain amounts of a drug, eg. paracetamol can be sold without a pharmacist on the premises. If you want to buy four packets of 500mg paracetamol, for example, you're exceding the legal limit, and a pharmacist needs to be there to intervene in the sale if necessary. Not really because of a suicide risk, but because you may be damaging your body by accident, or you may have a serious underlying condition that needs other treatment. It should be noted that paracetamol is a dangerous drug, as is aspirin. Just because they're in common use, doesn't mean they're fine for everyone. I have a friend who has recently nearly died in hospital, because of a bad reaction to ibruprofen, after being prescribed the drug and by taking routine amounts with no known risk. Furthermore, I have recently recovered from a condition which, for a reason no doctor can really explain, made me incredibley sensitive to painkillers, and I lived with chronic pain, every day, all over my body. I couldn't walk for months from the pain, so please don't say "well, I'm in pain when I come to the counter" - I'd hope you weren't buying codeine-containing drugs when you're perfectly fine.

Now, the next time you see a healthcare assistant have medicines thrown back at them (people do throw our stock at us), please try to understand that we are all hurting, sentient beings, and they have a crap life, too. :rolleyes:;)

edit. Warfarin is the evil drug of evils! I'd say get the pharm when warfarin-takers are trying to buy tissues, just to be safe.