RE: Re:Pharmacutical company frustration

[Guest guest]

The pharmacist at Kaiser HMO said they couldn't do tell me about gluten content. He said I could look at my package inserts or call the company, but that they couldn't take the responsibility. Another pharmacist at Kaiser didn't know what gluten was, other than in bread-making!

H.

In a message dated 7/19/07 7:57:20 AM, 1grnthmb@... writes:

So, rather then contacting the companies themselves, have you pharmacist do it. They are willing to divulge information to them. Make sure your pharmacist has wheat (etc.) listed as allergies.

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[Guest guest]

Thanks; that's very interesting.

I had to leave Kaiser San Francisco, as they changed their eligibility requirements. However, others who are with Kaiser will find this information quite useful. I don't think my pharmacy record had that sort of flag; I didn't know such flagging existed.

My current doctors are with UCSF, and I use Walgreen's for prescriptions. I'll talk to Walgreen's about celiac flagging.

H.

In a message dated 7/19/07 9:27:38 AM, nerd2art@... writes:

I'm a health professional, and this just isn't an acceptable response.  Every Kaiser has a patient advocate.  I'd suggest you file a complaint.  It's obvious that the pharmacy staff needs some training.  Your pharmacy record should have a flag on it for celiac, just as someone with a sulfa or penicillin allergy does.

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[Guest guest]

That’s great news, thanks!

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of 1grnthmb

Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:47

AM

Subject: [ ]

Re:Pharmacutical company frustration

Pascal,

I had the same problem with the big drug companies not

wanting to give any information about the contents of the medications to me.

However I had a really good pharmacist and he was able to get the information

for me and determined that all the multiple medications that I took were safe

for me. He even had my account posted so If I had a new prescription they would

automatically check to see that it was safe and find an alternative that was

safe for me. So, rather then contacting the companies themselves, have you

pharmacist do it. They are willing to divulge information to them. Make sure

your pharmacist has wheat (etc.) listed as allergies.

Mark

[Guest guest]

I'm a health professional, and this just isn't an acceptable response. Every Kaiser has a patient advocate. I'd suggest you file a complaint. It's obvious that the pharmacy staff needs some training. Your pharmacy record should have a flag on it for celiac, just as someone with a sulfa or penicillin allergy does.flatcat9@... wrote:The pharmacist at Kaiser HMO said they couldn't do tell me about gluten content. He said I could look at my package inserts or call the company, but that they couldn't take the responsibility. Another pharmacist at Kaiser didn't know what gluten was, other than in bread-making! H.

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[Guest guest]

I was bemused by my first post-diagnosis pharmacist, a nice man near retirement. When I asked him about gluten content, he looked puzzled and interested and worried. He got out a dictionary and read to me about gluten's role in making bread rise. He really did mean well.

H.

In a message dated 7/19/07 9:20:42 PM, vizlvr@... writes:

I am in my final year of pharmacy school at UCSF and I agree that the first pharmacists response is totally inadequate nonsense. 

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[Guest guest]

I am in my final year of pharmacy school at UCSF and I agree that the first pharmacists response is totally inadequate nonsense. So far I have found that there seem to be 2 kinds of pharmacists-those that really are looking out for their patients and are willing to engage their brain and dig in and go out on a limb to help them and those that are so paranoid about being sued and their personal liability that they check their brains at the door and do everything exactly by the book-even when doing things that way may actually harm the patient. Sad.I can also say, that at least at UCSF's School of Pharmacy, we are not explicitly educated on celiac disease (especially since there are presently no drugs to treat it) or gluten intolerance. In my first year, we had a lecture on how to assist patients with selecting OTC products for GI issues. Gluten intolerance/celiac disease was briefly mentioned in that lecture. Other than saying there

weren't any OTC products for these patients, pretty much everything else they told us was wrong. I, ahem, corrected the information at the time.Most pharmacy systems should have a flag for wheat and/or gluten allergies (all the ones I've seen do) BUT the system doesn't necessarily have gluten or wheat content for all drugs so it may or may not do you any good (of course you should still have the flag on but don't rely on it 100% either).Some manufacturers are really good about the gluten content (Roxane, for example, has right on the package if a drug is gluten-free) but others, not so much. But as was mentioned, a pharmacist can (and should!) get this information for you. Push back if they refuse.flatcat9@... wrote: The pharmacist at Kaiser HMO said they couldn't do tell me about gluten content. He said I could look at my package inserts or call the company, but that they couldn't take the responsibility. Another pharmacist at Kaiser didn't know what gluten was, other than in bread-making! H. In a message dated 7/19/07 7:57:20 AM, 1grnthmbsbcglobal (DOT) net writes: So, rather then contacting the companies themselves, have you pharmacist

do it. They are willing to divulge information to them. Make sure your pharmacist has wheat (etc.) listed as allergies. ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

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