ARTICLES /
General / Just What The Doctor Ordered?
By Dr. Larry Tune
I recommend the following tips to help keep you and your family safe:
Ask your pharmacist if you have been
given the exact drug that your doctor prescribed. In
Georgia , in order to avoid “switching”, your
physician must hand-write “Brand necessary” on the
prescription. This requires the pharmacy to check
with the physician before making a change to your
medication.
Your doctor knows your health, while others may not.
Talk to your doctor before allowing your insurance
company or pharmacist to make a change in your
medication. Some medicines are not
interchangeable. Some medicines, even in the same
class often have different active ingredients and
can cause severe side effects, negative reactions or
even diminish the benefit of your medicine.
Consulting your doctor first can help you to
eliminate these health risks.
Be an advocate for you or a loved one’s health care
– and preserve the physician patient relationship.
Switching your medicine may be a good thing, but
make sure that decision is made judiciously by you
and your doctor.
Share this information with your friends and family
to ensure that you are getting just what the doctor
ordered.
Dr. Larry Tune is a geriatric psychiatrist at Emory
University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
Printable Version
