Travel Vaccinations, too late?

agrinnall

jhe wrote: »

I do not buy online
There are a lot of items that require a pharmacist to be present when purchasing not just malaria tablets , various items require a prescription when buying online that can be bought over the counter if a pharmacist is present .

You're sort of correct, but the pharmacist has to be a "pharmacist independent prescriber", and as far as I can see all antimalarial drugs require a prescription to be issued (which is not surprising as they are powerful medications and the correct medication for the particular person has to be issued).

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1629.aspx?CategoryID=68

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malaria/Pages/Treatment.aspx

jhe

agrinnall wrote: »

You're sort of correct, but the pharmacist has to be a "pharmacist independent prescriber", and as far as I can see all antimalarial drugs require a prescription to be issued (which is not surprising as they are powerful medications and the correct medication for the particular person has to be issued).

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1629.aspx?CategoryID=68

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Malaria/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Not sure why we have had different experiences buying malaria tablets but I have only stated how I purchase and friends also.
As I said in post 19 I have had a quick interview sometimes.( not much good when they try to sell me the wrong ones though)
If I needed malaria tablets today I could go to my local pharmacy now and get them, nothing dodgy about it

agrinnall

jhe wrote: »

Not sure why we have had different experiences buying malaria tablets but I have only stated how I purchase and friends also.
As I said in post 19 I have had a quick interview sometimes.( not much good when they try to sell me the wrong ones though)
If I needed malaria tablets today I could go to my local pharmacy now and get them, nothing dodgy about it

Well, I don't doubt your experience, but I do doubt the validity of what is being done, it's perfectly clear that malaria meds have to be prescribed and that if it is done by the pharmacist they must be qualified to do that.

malkie76

agrinnall wrote: »

Antibiotics simply are not available over the counter in the UK.

That's incorrect as a blanket statement. Certain types of antibiotics are available OTC (for example Neomycin). Besides, this is an irrelevant point as malaria is a parasite, not a bacteria.

Malaria tablets can also certainly be bought online, or directly in a pharmacy when dispensed by a pharmacist, in the absence of a GP or private prescription.

jhe

agrinnall wrote: »

Well, I don't doubt your experience, but I do doubt the validity of what is being done, it's perfectly clear that malaria meds have to be prescribed and that if it is done by the pharmacist they must be qualified to do that.

agrinnall. Pharmacists are highly qualified. they know what they can and cannot sell,it is highly unlikely they would sell me anything they are not allowed to.
This isnt just one pharmacist I have bought from it is in different shops.
I do not buy off the sales assistant I buy off the Pharmacists.
As I have said sometimes I have an interview, most times not.
Last year I bought Avloclor twice, once in Boots no questions asked, once in Morrisons they asked over the counter no interview if I had taken before and were I was travelling to nothing more
Arn't all pharmacists are qualified to dispense ?

agrinnall

jhe wrote: »

Arn't all pharmacists are qualified to dispense ?

I'm sure they can, but I doubt if all of them can prescribe, and it's the prescription part of it that is required in order for the dispense to be legal. Now maybe behind the scenes there has always been a prescription created for you, but I've never known a prescription to be actioned without being signed by or on behalf of the patient.

Edit: This is what Dr Fox has to say about buying Malarone from ASDA:

"So, though it may seem like you can buy Malarone without a prescription, getting it from ASDA still requires a face-to-face visit with a medical professional – the attending pharmacist, or a private doctor and subsequent prescription."

https://www.doctorfox.co.uk/news/malarone-from-asda/

jhe

Agrinnall-
A pharmacist is qualified, If you go to a Pharmacy they are ran by a Pharmacist, a pharmacist is qualified to dispense. A Pharmacist takes 5+ years to qualify. so they are well qualified to sell me malaria tablets
nothing goes on behind the scenes !
I do not need to read your links. I am not giving medical advice to anyone I am trying to explain that people are able to get Malaria tablets from a pharmacy.
they do not have to go to a travel clinic or Doctors it can be done at a pharmacy.
not sure what the problem is with you being convinced my area is full of dodgy Pharmacists doing behind the scene or under the counter deals.
Others have also stated you can buy in a pharmacy.
why not ask your pharmacists in your area what they are qualified to do. because every pharmacist will be qualified to give medical advise and dispense.

sajjed

Never had a problem buying Anti Malaria tablets in a Pharmacy.

agrinnall

I've agreed with you that pharmacists are qualified to dispense, but dispensing is not the same as prescribing, and where medication is prescription only then the person doing the prescribing has to be one of the qualifying groups as described in my first link in post #22 (which includes some pharmacists). And I've agreed that they can be bought at a pharmacy, but only after the face to face meeting with the prescriber. Your experience seems to be that sometimes you see the pharmacist and sometimes you don't, and there never seems to be any evidence of a prescription. If that works for you that's fine, and it doesn't bother me because it's not the way I would do it.

jhe

agrinnall wrote: »

I've agreed with you that pharmacists are qualified to dispense, but dispensing is not the same as prescribing, and where medication is prescription only then the person doing the prescribing has to be one of the qualifying groups as described in my first link in post #22 (which includes some pharmacists). And I've agreed that they can be bought at a pharmacy, but only after the face to face meeting with the prescriber. Your experience seems to be that sometimes you see the pharmacist and sometimes you don't, and there never seems to be any evidence of a prescription. If that works for you that's fine, and it doesn't bother me because it's not the way I would do it.

you should be able to purchase Malaria tablets at your local pharmacy.
All pharmacists can, they are qualified ! Pharmacists work in pharmacies they sell you the malaria tablets
I have said I sometimes have had a short interview.

to everyone else if you need Malaria tablets please speak to your pharmacy and ask their advise before paying a travel clinic or a private prescription
for anyone needing Avloclor the cheapest place at the moment to purchase that I have found is Boots. there is a big difference in the price between different pharmacies