The Directorate of Health Affairs in Jeddah has warned pharmacists not to sell medicine without prescriptions.
The Director of Health Affairs in Jeddah Sami Badawood said there was need to educate the public about buying medicine without consulting a doctor and getting a prescription. This form of self-diagnoses can cause health problems, he said.
“A pharmacist is making a big mistake by prescribing medication for a specific medical condition, because the pharmacist is not a doctor,” he said. He urged the public to report any pharmacists involved in this behavior.
Spokesman of the Ministry of Health Khaled Al-Mirghalani said the ministry is monitoring health services provided at private pharmacies and tightening up controls to prevent violations.
He said there are strict and clear instructions for all pharmacists to not sell medicines without prescription, except for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. These are professionally recognized and can be sold without prescriptions from a physician.
He said there are warning and information signs at all pharmacies to explain these regulations. The directorate would punish violators with fines and withdraw their licenses, he said.
Laila Shatery, a general and laparoscopic surgery consultant at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, proposed a system to monitor pharmacies.
Govt warns pharmacists against playing doctor
