Prescription Refills - FEMA State of Emergency

[Duff Man]

lol I'm not saying you guys should do it... it's just my personal comfort level.

Nice links Catwoman! That's exactly what I was trying to say.

The testing, conducted by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, ultimately covered more than 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter. The results, never before reported, show that about 90% of them were safe and effective far past their original expiration date, at least one for 15 years past it.

The problem: Often the expiration dates of prescription and over-the-counter drugs do not accurately reflect the true shelf life, resulting in billions of dollars wasted annually on discarded drugs that are potentially still potent and safe beyond their labeled expiration dates.

and then

This expiration date specifies only the date the manufacturer guarantees the full potency and safety of the drug; it does not identify how long the drug is actually effective.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Perhaps the law is different in Michigan, but Texas law says that the prescription must be filled as written, so if the prescription is for 30 pills with 11 refills, it can only be filled for 30 pills. When the time is appropriate, the pharmacist can issue a refill. For mail order prescriptions, the prescription is written for 90 pills with 3 refills. Here's an actual FAQ from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy:

If my prescription allows refills, can I get all of the refills at one time?

No. Pharmacists may dispense only the amount of medication indicated on the prescription. Also, in making the decision to refill a prescription, the pharmacist must consider how long the medication should last (based on the directions for use and the quantity dispensed), and may refill it only after an appropriate amount of time has elapsed between refills. If you wish to receive a larger quantity of medication, the pharmacist must contact the doctor for authorization.

 

[Duff Man]

It's still not illegal from what I've read, and it sounds like it's a pharmacist/doctor/patient relationship thing. That's pretty much how I understand it is here too.

Anyway, my doctor is just my prescription pad... the guy knows I'm a huge hypo.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Ummmmmm......WOW?

 

[EVELYN]

Just heard the news here in Virginia. They said that Ike was predicted to hit between Houston and Galveston. Great idea to fill those scripts. If it becomes a cat 4 who knows when you'll be able to refill.

My prayers and heart is with you all in Texas. Be safe.

Evelyn

 

[catwoman]

Lisa:

Hope you & your family will take cover PDQ.

 

[pamela]

You could maintain your own rotation of the drugs as well. I asked for a couple of my fills to be doubled so that my deductible wouldn't hit me twice on the same prescription. My pharmacist was glad to assist me in that.

I hope all of you in the weather's path are as safe as you can be.

Take Heart,
Pamela.

 

[Jkm7]

Here are some things I found about expiration dates and meds:

http://murphy.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=28809

This article is dated June 2005. I wonder if the recommendation for further study was followed?