Quarantine: what to do if you ran out of prescription for remedies

The health system faces a new challenge: ensuring that all patients can access the purchase of medicines despite the social, preventive and compulsory isolation dictated by the Government. For that, most social works implemented a system of electronic recipes and via Whatsapp, although it depends on each one how it is applied. At the moment, PAMI only supports one format. The College of Pharmacists warned about the exceptions that are left out of the existing virtual alternatives.

Each coverage has its own operating rules. The patient who needs to access a prescription to buy medicines for the duration of the quarantine should check with your social work What is the format that they admit in pharmacies.

“We received a momentary modification until March 31 for attention to electronic recipes, via mail and through WhatsApp photos. It depends on each social work,” he explained in dialogue with TN.com.ar Margarita Menéndez Llano, president of the College of Pharmacists of the Federal Capital.

In addition, he said that, as established by each medical coverage, “the patient approaches the pharmacy with a photo of the prescription and we ask them to send it by email to print it or to print it themselves.” “A couple of days ago that Most accept the modality through WhatsApp, “he said.

However, regarding PAMI, Menéndez Llano specified that it has different recipe models, among them, the digitally signed electronic ones, that only some doctors manage. “At the moment, WhatsApp shipments or photos are not accepted,” he assured.

“We have already raised this situation and if they do not solve it, people will be left without remedies. They would have to implement that all doctors can handle that type of electronic prescription,” added the expert, who said that in the face of these cases they offer the person if you want to take the medicine with refund. “Until we receive new regulations from PAMI we cannot proceed otherwise”, he claimed.

The president of the College assured that the biggest problem for which they have not yet found a solution is the sale of remedies with condition of sale under archived prescription, such as the case of mental health medications.

“In order to buy these remedies, they need by law the original duplicate made of the doctor’s handwriting, signed and sealed,” he said. This means that patients who consume psychotropic drugs and have no prescription during this period are “in limbo”, since Pharmacists cannot proceed without legal regulations that protect them.

“We present notes to the Ministry of Health asking that it be amended, that there be legal support that covers pharmacists in this type of situation, but we still did not have a response,” concluded Menendez Llano.