On April 22, a video went viral, which shows a woman attempting to purchase maintenance medicines but was refused by the pharmacist because she couldn’t provide a prescription. Consequently, the lady grew frustrated with both the pharmacist and the drug store, insisting that some drug stores sold her the medicine without requiring a prescription.
The pharmacist in the viral video remained calm and composed despite the escalating tension from the customer and her husband, who was not shown in the video. The pharmacist continued to explain that medicines labeled “Rx” on their packaging cannot be bought without a prescription and are not available over-the-counter. He also emphasized that incidents of her purchasing the said medicine without a prescription could jeopardize any pharmacist’s license, thus he cannot do so due to their solemn oath.
@nursetoto Sir @arshielife paki educate po ang mga customers nato 😒 the audacity to take a video when they are not really educated when it comes to Rx (prescription) #pharmacist #fyp #viral #trending #ctto ♬ original sound – Nurse Toto🙏❤️
The video gained traction across social media, with some going as far as saying that the woman was uneducated for forcing something that is illegal. Some health care workers also posted reminders to that there are rules and regulations in place because it is intended for both parties’ safety, and that they are not just “sellers” looking to make a sale.
Many Filipino social media users also lauded what the pharmacist did, further commending his sense of professionalism, as the pharmacist stayed calm throughout the ordeal. Many also called out the foul attitude of the woman who tried to buy without a prescription. Some even questioned the woman why she didn’t have a prescription on hand, since her maintenance medicine is usually prescribed by doctors.
Real life pharmacist and influencer, Arshie Larga, also shed light on the incident in a video posted on X.
Kailangan pa ba ng reseta tuwing bibili ng maintenance na gamot? https://t.co/eP0vhog8tJ pic.twitter.com/IhUWrKHxiA
— Arshie Larga (@Arshiethromycin) April 23, 2024
The Cebu Pharmacists Association also released a statement regarding this incident, commending the pharmacists shown in the viral video for upholding their professionalism by educating the customer.
They emphasized that pharmacists are morally and legally obliged to refuse service of dispensing Rx-labeled medicine without a prescription from a physician. The Cebu Pharmacists Association urges the public to abide by the standard regulations in obtaining medical supplies and to treat healthcare workers with the utmost respect and dignity they deserve, as they are merely doing their job in protecting the patients.
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