Surgery's IT system prints scripts for Sildenafil instead of Sibutramine!

[Zoggite]

No, this doesn't appear to be a joke, I read it in the newspaper so it must be true...!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...2-2502175.html
For those of you who are wary of links:
"The problem is thought to have become apparent several weeks ago. About 900 family doctors at 300 surgeries have been sent an e-mail from NHS Greater Glasgow giving warning about a malfunction by its “e-Formulary” IT system, which automatically lists the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions. When GPs tried to select Zyban, a drug that suppresses the part of the brain that experiences nicotine cravings, the computer instead selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, which is used to treat impotence.



In a statement yesterday, Greater Glasgow NHS said that patient care had not been impaired by the blunder because prescriptions were “subject to stringent double-checking by both prescribing doctors and pharmacy staff”.

A spokeswoman for the health authority said that no patients had complained of having been given Viagra in error. Although all surgeries in the area had been warned as a precaution, only two had reported the problem.

Family doctors, however, said that it was unlikely that all prescription mistakes would have been noticed. One Glasgow doctor said: “In some cases, it’s possible that GPs will have spotted the problem after printing out a prescription. But some will not, and unsuspecting patients will have gone to the chemist's and unknowingly ordered Viagra.

"There is a chance the pharmacist would spot this, especially if it was a woman who handed in the prescription. But there would be no reason to double-check when a man handed it in."

Another GP said: "These are interesting drugs to get confused. Zyban was developed as an antidepressant and has a curious side-effect in that it reduces many patients’ urge to smoke. Viagra gives the urge to do something quite different."

Apart from tiredness there are thought to be few side-effects of Viagra, a blue diamond-shaped pill that looks very different from Zyban, which is small and white.

Greater Glasgow NHS maintained a straight face about the mistake. It said: “A computer glitch was discovered by two Glasgow GP practices that use the Glasgow e-Formulary following a recent update of the online General Practice Administration System for Scotland (GPASS). As a precaution, an advisory e-mail and memo was immediately issued to all the Glasgow practices which use GPASS and have installed the e-Formulary, to alert staff to the potential problem.”

The mind boggles!!!

[admin]

This reads funny, but surely you would question the amount of tablets prescribed and the dose?????

ZYBAN: Usual Dosage for Adults: The recommended and maximum dose of ZYBAN is 300 mg/day, given as 150 mg twice daily. Dosing should begin at 150 mg/day given every day for the first 3 days, followed by a dose increase for most patients to the recommended usual dose of 300 mg/day.

I would think it seemed strange if someone was prescribed 150mg of viagra daily, every day!

Then again........

[pharmatron]

Shouldn't the title of this thread read "Surgery's IT system prints scrips for Sildenafil instead of Bupropion" if the mix up is between Viagra and Zyban?

[admin]

Originally Posted by pharmatron

Shouldn't the title of this thread read "Surgery's IT system prints scrips for Sildenafil instead of Bupropion" if the mix up is between Viagra and Zyban?

Yes, but I just took it as a typo by Zo.

[Zoggite]

Sorry guys, it was just a typo... I've been away from work for a week, back to Belgium for some decent retail therapy, and it seems I've come back with my braincells still furred up with chocolate... (which is probably why my thoughts drifted towards sibutramine? is this my subconscious taking over?)

[Steve G]

Originally Posted by admin

This reads funny, but surely you would question the amount of tablets prescribed and the dose?????

ZYBAN: Usual Dosage for Adults: The recommended and maximum dose of ZYBAN is 300 mg/day, given as 150 mg twice daily. Dosing should begin at 150 mg/day given every day for the first 3 days, followed by a dose increase for most patients to the recommended usual dose of 300 mg/day.

I would think it seemed strange if someone was prescribed 150mg of viagra daily, every day!

Then again........

Erm, Zyban is once daily for six days, then twice daily (with at least eight hours between the two doses).

[admin]

Originally Posted by Steve G

Erm, Zyban is once daily for six days, then twice daily (with at least eight hours between the two doses).

I just copied the blue bit from a web site. I think it was a USA one, so maybe the licence there is for a different dose regimen.

My point was just that you are only "allowed" one Viagra tablets a week on the NHS (I assume that's still the case) but a prescription that got mixed up with Zyban might state take 150mg daily, and that would possibly seem strange on a FP10.