[e-drug] Prescribing and dispensing in one hand? (6)

["Richard Odoi" <rodoi@med.mak.ac.ug>]

E-DRUG: Prescribing and dispensing in one hand? (6)
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E-druggers, 

I wish to provide my own two pence view on the issue of registered 
pharmacist/physician going ahead to study medicine/pharmacy as well, and at 
the same time wanting to practice both. Do I get it correct? In my view this poses a serious question of conflict of interest. I was taught during my pharmacy study days that there is clear seperation of roles between 
prescribing and dispensing: one checks the other and in this way they work 
together for the benefit of the patient - obviously to avoid mistakes, 
especially in crouded clinical unit settings like we have in africa. 

What I suspect can be acceptable is that such a person will choose to 
practice either profession one at a time, perhaps deciding to practice 
pharmacy this year and medicine the next year. In Uganda I have only seen 
this year a couple of candidates who qualified in medicine enrolling for a 
degree in pharmacy. I sense that we might see this happening the other way 
around in the coming years. And I think it will be easier for the pharmacist since he/she will be earning as a ommunity pharmacy supervisor as he/she reads! 

Let me at this early time add another point to this what I gues will turn 
out to be seriouss and interesting discussion. I have seen nurses opting to 
study medicine and qualifying to practice medicine. This to my recollection, has not raised any eyebrows at all. Is it because they are probably doing the SAME thing and yet they are supposed to be different professions? Is it acceptable that one practices nursing as well as practing medicine? 

Richard Odoi Adome 
Uganda
E-mail: rodoi@med.mak.ac.ug