New Zealand Pharmacy question

[blaggins]

So, when buying over the counter medicines in New Zealand, the pharmacist will ask for a name, address, possibly ID, and will then ask a few questions about what the medicine is being purchased for/other safety information relating to the medicine.

This information is then entered into the computer at the counter before the sale is completed and the medicine is handed over.

Where does this information go? What is it used for? Does anybody else but the pharmacist have access to it, or is it merely an internal record? Are GP's able to view this information? Or other pharmacists?

Searches on Google haven't brought up much other than "pharmacists will need to record the sale..... etc". More info on how this "record of sale" works would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[spacejunk]

What medicines are you referring to?
If it is codeine or pseudoephedrine, I know the answers to that question (in Australia - and they're not the same; pseudo being a national [i think] database, and OTC codeine pills generally being a record kept of purchases from store to store - or within a franchise or company).
Here in Australia both codeine and pseudo are regulated this way to (attempt to) prevent codeine 'abuse'/addiction and hoarding of pseudoephedrine for methamphetamine manufacture respectively. Pseudo is bound by stricter regulations for this reason, I seem to recall, whereas codeine (in Aus) is more a self-regulated pharmacy recorded system.
How these regulation differ in NZ I'm not too sure.
Perhaps searching for the website of some kind of pharmacists' guild or professional body may give you an answer?
I suspect sharing that info with your dr would be a breach of your rights in regard to confidentiality, but that is just an assumption.

 

[blaggins]

Thanks spacejunk, for your prompt response.

The medicines referred to are those classed as 'Pharmacist-Only' or 'Restricted' medicines in NZ... i.e. those which are not on general sale on the shelves, but must be requested from the Pharmacist.

Mersyndol is one such example. It was recommended by the pharmacist as helpful in the treatment of migraine pain, but was only sold after providing information which the pharmacist entered into the store computer.

After searching the internet to find out what will actually be done with the information provided to the pharmacist (sites include Medsafe, Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand and NZ Legislation), there is little explanation as to what is actually done with the information, other than it will be collected. There is next to no information about who can see it, who it get shared with, how long the information is kept for, etc.

Bluelight came up in the search results and seemed like a knowledgeable place to seek more information. It could be assumed that the legislation will not be too far different from that of Aus, but if anybody knows for sure, please share.

Thanks again for your help. Much appreciated.

 

[Unsolved Mystery]

I abused Mersyndol for a bit. Doesn't seem like all pharmacies are linked to one database. Been caught trying to buy Mersyndol a week apart from one place, but no problem immediately going to the next pharmacy that I hadn't been to in a month or so. Not sure if all pharmacies of a certain chain are connected e.g. all unichems, or if it is just internal info of every individual pharmacy. But it just seems the point is to stop people from buying too much of something, ie abusing it.