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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at this pharmacist

92 replies

Sandsnake · 28/09/2015 20:32

I'm pretty new here so sorry if this has been done before!

I went into Boots today to buy some aspirin. I am taking an aspirin a day on the advice of my consultant due to a placental problem and am 33 weeks pregnant. The cashier asked me if they were for myself and when I confirmed they were said that he would just have to check with the pharmacist. I said this was fine and added that he should tell her that I was taking them under advice from my consultant.

He came back and said the pharmacist wouldn't sell them to me as aspirin is not recommended during pregnancy. I argued that they were actually vital for my pregnancy as ordered by the consultant - he said the pharmacist said I would need to bring in a note from the doctor to prove this. Apparently this was 'policy', which I pointed out wasn't true as I had bought aspirin from other Boots branches without issue.

I argued quite a lot and in the end left as I had to get my train to work. I was so angry. I was annoyed at the inference that I could not be trusted with my own health - and that I somehow needed to 'prove' what my doctor had told me. I'm still pretty cross about it now tbh as I think the refusal to sell it to me is indicative of the way that some people feel they have the right to infantilise pregnant women. I can't imagine any other group of competent adults being treated this way.

Do you think AIBU?

OP posts:
Smellyoulateralligator · 28/09/2015 21:08

The pharmacist sounds incompetent and I'd be pretty pissed off too. I'd say that he was failing in his duty of care to a patient by refusing to sell you the aspirin when you explained the circumstances.

ZebraLovesKnitting · 28/09/2015 21:10

When I was pregnant and wanted to buy medication (on doctor's recommendation) I just said it was for my DH. Nobody ever questioned it.

LemonPied · 28/09/2015 21:10

There are rules.
He's is a simple breakdown of some of them.
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Medicinesinfo/Pages/Safetyissues.aspx

Smellyoulateralligator · 28/09/2015 21:11

It's not up to the pharmacist. For example it's not up to the pharmacist to refuse the morning after pill on religious or ethical grounds.
This pharmacist clearly doesn't understand that aspirin is not always contraindicated in pregnancy and because of a gap in his knowledge, someone was left without vital medication.
It's actually quite a serious misjudgment on the pharmacists part.

Smellyoulateralligator · 28/09/2015 21:14

Aspirin is actually licensed in low doses for pregnant women

The pharmacist was very wrong.

Smellyoulateralligator · 28/09/2015 21:16

Sorry Mary. I misinterpreted what you said about it being up to the pharmacist.

Marynary · 28/09/2015 21:18

LemonPied I meant that there isn't a rule on whether ibuprofen can be sold to someone with asthma.

btw. the page you have linked to is about drug licensing and nothing to do with rules.

Marynary · 28/09/2015 21:26

Smellyoulateralligator I think you are confused about what licensing is. The SPC may state that "clinical studies indicate that doses up to 100 mg/day for restricted obstetrical use, which require specialised monitoring, appear safe" but that doesn't mean it is licensed for use during pregnancy.

Smellyoulateralligator · 28/09/2015 22:51

I'm not confused about what licensing is.
No it doesn't mean that it's licensed but the manufacturers acknowledge its safe use for that indication. It isn't technically licensed but why bother going through the licensing process for aspirin 75?

Pregnancy isn't a contraindication and there is a big evidence base to support its use in obstetrics and the SPC says it's safe. That would be more than enough for me to sell it in the OPs circumstances.

I think the pharmacist didn't know this and that's why he refused.

sproketmx · 29/09/2015 00:07

Umm, if you have a history of pre eclampsia you are told to take an aspirin a day and since pre eclampsia only occurs in pregnant women..... I've never has any bother getting them when pregnant but I'd be annoyed too

CalmYoBadSelf · 29/09/2015 00:38

I think pharmacists are getting more cautious and less willing to use professional judgement due to the risks of litigation and the culture in a lot of big companies, like Boots, which discourages any risk at all

Having said that, it is common for patients to give incorrect information, sometimes through confusion and sometimes through determination to get the product they want even if it might be unsafe, addictive, etc so erring on the side of caution can be understandable

steff13 · 29/09/2015 00:53

You went to a drugstore, and the pharmacist refused to sell you aspirin, even though it's OTC? Holy cow. If you're an adult, I don't see how it's any of his business.

ChristineDePisan · 29/09/2015 02:12

No, what is annoying is the arbitrary limits on how many packets of pain killers you can buy at once: DF and I were in Sainsburys together and both wanted a packet of painkillers (one paracetamol, one ibruprofen I think). We put them on the conveyor together with the things I was buying and the checkout assistant said she couldn't sell them both. So DF said he would pay separately for his painkillers, but that was also refused as apparently once you have said that you are shopping together that is it. So we only bought one pack there, then went to the newspaper kiosk at the front and bought the other pack. And if we were planning a joint suicide attempt, the masses of booze we also had on the conveyor would have been more helpful than 16 over the counter paracetamol Hmm

Frasras11 · 29/09/2015 07:07

Did you ask for the correct dose? I'm on 75mg a day due to same thing in previous pregnancy. However I have mine prescribed. I think you need to get yours prescribed too.

PlaysWellWithOthers · 29/09/2015 08:02

To quote House "everybody lies" although I'm not saying you are, I'm been told some absolute whoppers before and in a situation where a drug could cause harm to you or your unborn child, then the pharmacist is in the right to exercise their right to refuse to sell it to you. his is partly because of a fear of litigation, but mostly ime because pharmacists are highly trained professionals who know what they're doing.

The ban on selling more than 2 packs of painkillers is because if you wish to buy more than 32 paracetamol at a time, they change from an GSL medication to a Pharmacy only and a pharmacist needs to supervise it's sale. The legislation came out in 1998. Trading standards check this by doing test purchases, in the same way as they do test purchases for alcohol and cigarettes, and the fine and possible loss of job is probably more on the mind of the cashier than your need to buy 3 packs of paracetamol.

I'm fairly sure that none of you would do something which could constitute gross misconduct in your jobs, just to make the life of a complete stranger mildly less annoying, so I'm a bit baffled as to why some people expect the person sitting on a till in Sainsbury's to do that for them.

If you have concerns about the fitness of a pharmacist or pharmacy tech to practice you can complain to the regulatory body here

If you want the law about pack sizes to revert to pre-1998 then a letter to your MP might be the way to go. I doubt they will because the number overdoses through the use of paracetamol have fallen since the legislation came into effect. Most people think this is a good thing.

anothernumberone · 29/09/2015 08:37

Personally I would be considering the advice of the pharmacist as that of a second opinion from a medical professional. I had a similar experience late in in pregnancy but I had a prescription, the pharmacist nearly had a heart attack when he noticed the medicine was being prescribed to a pregnant woman and advised that he did not consider it to be appropriate. Whether he was right or wrong it actually transpired that the medication would have been totally useless as I had a serious undiagnosed medical condition relating to my pregnancy which was causing the symptoms. Choelastasis sp. The consultant was a muppet, this has later transpired to have been beyond true from multiple incidents reported in the media about him in the hospital. Take a second opinion on board don't just dismiss it was the valuable lesson I learned.

Marynary · 29/09/2015 08:50

I'm not confused about what licensing is.
No it doesn't mean that it's licensed but the manufacturers acknowledge its safe use for that indication. It isn't technically licensed but why bother going through the licensing process for aspirin 75?

*Its licensed use is under "therapeutic indications". i.e. it is licensed for
"for the secondary prevention of thrombotic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease and following by-pass surgery."

The use in prevention of placental problems in pregnant women is an off label i.e. unlicensed use.

Pregnancy isn't a contraindication and there is a big evidence base to support its use in obstetrics and the SPC says it's safe. That would be more than enough for me to sell it in the OPs circumstances.

Whilst low dose aspirin (

Marynary · 29/09/2015 08:56

I'm fairly sure that none of you would do something which could constitute gross misconduct in your jobs, just to make the life of a complete stranger mildly less annoying, so I'm a bit baffled as to why some people expect the person sitting on a till in Sainsbury's to do that for them.

Exactly. If people don't want the pharmacist to make a decision on whether they should or shouldn't use something then don't involve them in the decision i.e. don't tell them. As soon as you do tell them then they have to make a professional judgment and if they get it wrong they will be in trouble.

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 29/09/2015 08:58

plays well speaks absolute sense Smile

Thelushinthepub · 29/09/2015 09:01

I used to work in boots. Shortly after the law regarding 16/32 packs of painkillers came in the pharmacist could still sell the old fashioned large jars at their discretion. Ours sold one to a lady who had been arguing with her partner on the street outside; she took them round the back, took an overdose and slashed her wrists with a broken bottle.
The point about pack sizes is most overdoses (were, then) impulsive. You could go into boots, buy a jar of 500 paracetamol and take them. Now you would have to stockpile them, visit numerous shops to purchase them and open all the packs and pop them out of all the blister packs (the packaging is also designed to slow the process down) it makes a lot of sense.

Re the aspirin I think you can only buy baby aspirin from the pharmacy. It's annoying but nobody is obliged to sell you anything and it's that right that would back up the pharmacists decision presumably.

Jux · 29/09/2015 09:14

I think YANBU. Why can an adult not take some responsibility for their own health? OP was advised to take aspirin by her consultant, pharmacist has given advice not to. OP is able to make a fully informed decision. Refusing to sell her the aspirin infantilises her.

PurpleDaisies · 29/09/2015 09:15

Christine you can buy up to 32 painkiller tablets - that could be two packs of paracetomol, two packs or ibuprofen or one of each so if you were trying to buy a pack of ibuprofen and a pack of paracetomol together the shop assistant should have sold them to you.

I agree with playswell's post. Pharmacists frequently change prescriptions made by doctors because they are not safe (drug interactions, wrong dose, contraindicated in certain patients that the doctor has missed). They're not just dispensing monkeys that pick out what the doctor has ordered a bit like when you go to Argos. They train for four years at uni and the entry requirements are strings of A's at A level. They are just as qualified as doctors to decide on whether to issue a drug or not and they are liable if they make a prescribing mistake.

Smellyoulateralligator · 29/09/2015 09:18

You have no idea what my qualifications are Mary, no need to be quite so rude.

You are getting bogged down on definitions that are utterly irrelevant in the OPs case. It doesn't matter whether the use was licensed or off label. The pharmacist should and could have sold it and it was incorrect of him not to.

Clear

Smellyoulateralligator · 29/09/2015 09:22

Oops posted too soon.
I agree with a pp, some pharmacist are sometimes unnecessarily cautious (as in the OPs) case. I believe it stems from a lack of knowledge and professional confidence in many cases.

Marynary · 29/09/2015 09:34

You have no idea what my qualifications are Mary, no need to be quite so rude.

I didn't say that I knew what qualifications you have. You are clearly not a pharmacist or another healthcare professional though, (at least I hope you are not) because you do not know what you are talking about regarding licensing etc.

You are getting bogged down on definitions that are utterly irrelevant in the OPs case. It doesn't matter whether the use was licensed or off label. The pharmacist should and could have sold it and it was incorrect of him not to.

It does matter if it is an unlicensed use. If it is an off label then healthcare professionals are taking much more risk and responsibility if they use the drug. They are not going to take that risk without knowing the patients medical history or without a letter/prescription from the healthcare professional who has decided to take the responsibility.

Clear.