MHRA considers UK Rx deregulation

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a consultation on proposals to amend Section 58 of the Medicines Act 1968, which would enable UK pharmacists to dispense prescription-only drugs (POMs) prescribed by doctors and dentists registered in other European Union countries and Switzerland. At present, pharmacists are required to verify that prescribers are on a UK register.

Explaining the case for reform, the MHRA said: "populations have become much more mobile over the last 20 years or so and with that mobility comes a demand for health care to be provided where most appropriate or convenient for the individual patient. A system of authentication which operates on such a case-by-case basis, relying on the judgement of individual pharmacists, is more flexible and less of a restriction than the existing prohibition on honouring prescriptions for POMs given by doctors and dentists who are not on the appropriate UK register." The deadline for comments is October 12.