or just naive at medication available over the counter abroad?

[PacificDogwod]

Just back from holiday (Spain) with my parents.
My father had forgotten various fairly heavy-duty heart medication (he is just 8 weeks after open heart surgery) and every single thing he needed was readily available over the counter .

Much as that was very convenient for us (no doctor visit), I was quite staggered how unsafe that practice potentially was. We had to provide no evidence that that was what he was actually on or that we knew what doses he needed, no questions were asked.

Btw, Bisoprolol (b-blocker) 2.5mg x28 tablets: 2 Euro 40
Rivaroxaban (blood thinner, NOAC) 15mg x28: 83 Euro and change
Amoxicillin 1g x30: 11 Euro + a few cent

Stock up now before Brexit comes and we have customs checks at the UK border.

I can appreciate why it worries doctors in the UK, but aside from the medicolegal madness of it all, YABU. It's not only archaically paternalistic to maintain that non-medically qualified plebs are unable to take responsibility for their own health... it's about the evidence that banning and controlling substances of abuse doesn't work either.

You need to be old enough to remember the scandals before many of these medicines were prescription only. It used to be easy to get lots of things over the counter. It was because of its impact that you now cannot.

She won on the grounds that the courts are stupid sometimes.......

I was quite staggered how unsafe that practice potentially was. We had to provide no evidence that that was what he was actually on or that we knew what doses he needed, no questions were asked

It's not unsafe unless people make it so. They simply trust adults to have a bit of sense and look after their own medical needs.
Just because the UK is a ridicuous nanny state where they won't even sell a parecetamol to a woman who looks pregnant, doesn't mean everywhere else is!

I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain. Every year. Plus ibuprofen in a bigger box than the 16 I buy at home.

I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain. Every year

WHY???

Smear test woman case is clearly insane, and totally unjustified, but I would say that is part of the problem, decisions like that.

I don't know if this is the case everywhere, but in my local hospital, patients are not even allowed to handle their own notes.

I think that is a total scandal, because a patient not only has no redress about what is recorded, but not even any knowledge. It worries me because I know there is wrong info in my medical records (came across it by accident) but because it is in there now, it is 'the truth'. They will put a note on saying I 'believe' the info is wrong, but it cannot be properly changed, despite the fact I know it is impossible.

That is really paternalistic and hugely problematic, imo.

Ventolin is one thing but I'm horrified you can buy rivaroxaban otc. That's got huge potential to go very badly wrong.

I think records should be held by patients. I hate being data guardian for 8000 patients

It is very interesting that different meds are available in different countries without prescription.

Re paternalistic/nanny state concerns: yes, there are many situations in which I do agree, the handholding goes a bit far. And if we want less of that, then yes, it would NEED to be accompanied by individuals taking responsibility for their medication and being accountable for their medication management.

And if we want less of that, then yes, it would NEED to be accompanied by individuals taking responsibility for their medication and being accountable for their medication management.

This

with my indemnity costing over 10 weeks of my salary and rising at a staggering rate every year, I'm afraid "of course I'd never sue" carries little weight. It needs to be a key part of the NHS that patients have responsibilities as well as rights. no politician will ever say that, of course.

I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain. Every year.

this sums peoples' general stupidness up imo.

I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain. Every year.

(looks for facepalm emoticon)

you're an idiot. hope you'll be happy when they stop working because of overuse

Meanwhile in Spain, had a headache. Went to the supermarket to get paracetamol, they looked at me like I was crazy and sent me to the pharmacy.