Should You Buy Drugs From Your Doctor? It Depends on Several Factors.
Should You Buy Drugs From Your Doctor? It Depends on Several Factors.
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If your doctor offers to sell you the drugs you need, should you buy? There's no single right answer. But consider this advice from experts:
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¿ Weigh the cost against anticipated time savings. You'll usually pay more to buy a drug at your doctor's office.
Purkinje, which sells drugs to doctors for resale to patients, suggests that physicians charge $15 for a standard adult course -- 500 milligrams per day, taken twice a day -- of the antibiotic amoxicillin; by comparison, a CVS on Seventh Street NW charges $12.09 for the drug, used to fight bacterial illnesses such as strep throat.
If you're paying out-of-pocket for your drugs, checking DestinationRx.com can tell you what local pharmacies charge for a given drug.
¿ Be selective in what you buy.
Michael Cohen, president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, advises buying from your doctor only drugs that you need right away, such as antibiotics and pain relievers.
¿ Address safety issues before buying.
Although doctors have access to pharmacy databases that show your drug history, physicians are more likely to rely on a patient's or a parent's memory, says Mark Bard of Manhattan Research. Bring a complete list of the drugs, including over-the-counter painkillers you are taking, to the doctor's office to help avoid interactions when new drugs are prescribed, Cohen advises.
Don't forget to include OTC pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen and aspirin. Ask about potential side effects and possible drug interactions with any new medication.
¿ Will I still get a prescription?
One will be written -- but for the doctor's file, not for you. It's smart to ask for a copy to keep with your medical records, to file for insurance or to draw from a flexible spending account.
-- Francesca Lunzer Kritz
