British pharmacists are stepping up their campaign in support of original pack dispensing, claiming the move would improve medicines safety for patients and reduce wastage.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) has released results of a recent survey which revealed that almost two-thirds of the 4,000 pharmacists surveyed saw cutting packs to supply the right amount as a significant problem.
The campaign was first put into action late last year, when the society's English board started a campaign for manufacturers' pack sizes to be preserved rather than dispensing from the pack when the pack size did not correspond to the prescribed quantity.
More than nine in ten said accessing and providing an additional patient information leaflet was one of the problems with not being able to use original packs.
The majority of pharmacists thought supplying the most appropriate original pack and being reimbursed accordingly was the solution, as well as ensuring that all drugs were produced in pack sizes equivalent to an agreed 28-day month.
"We know the impact that cutting up an original pack can have on a patient's ability to take medicine correctly either through lost instructions or the possibility of mixed batches," RPSGB director for England Howard Duff said.
"It is also time consuming for the pharmacist and can contribute to medicines wastage."