In order to comply with the measure contained in the Simplifications Decree, published last week in the Official Gazette, on the possibility of prescribing up to a maximum of six packs per prescription for some categories of chronic patients, there are a series of problems, such as, for example, software updating and Dpc management, on which we have not yet received any indications from the regional offices, but doctors have begun to prescribe according to these methods and patients are protesting in pharmacies because they are unable to satisfy their requests. This is at the heart of Federfarma Roma's protest, which last week sent a letter to the president of the Lazio Region,Nicola Zingaretti, to press and unblock the situation. "We have tried several times, unfortunately without result, to get in touch with the offices of the Region, including the Control Room" he explains Frank Caprino, president of the regional Federfarma, «to obtain indications and obtain operational directives to allow pharmacies to comply with the new legislation. On the other hand, the doctors have already begun to prescribe according to the methods envisaged by the measure and the patients come to the pharmacy asking us for the six packs to be dispensed. Moreover, it is a provision that has received great prominence in the national press from the press ». There are a number of problems that need to be resolved: «First of all, the software must be adapted and clearly this operation takes time. And then what happens to the Dpc? Do we also dispense six pieces in that case? At the moment the software doesn't allow it and blocks everything». On the other hand, "the risk is that the pharmacies lose out: if they start processing prescriptions in a different way than the regional offices, then they will resolve the issue, what happens with payments?" In order to find a solution, continues Caprino, «and to meet the demands of the population, we were forced to interpret the legislation and on this basis we sent the Region an operational letter in which we informed them of the methods in which we are moving. If they don't agree, let them know." In the meantime, however, the letter to Zingaretti was sent and then, as stated in the text, "the Association I represent is no longer available to participate in the negotiating tables in progress".
Frances Giani
Tuesday, 01 July 2014 – Pharmacist33
Simplification of drug prescriptions for the chronically ill. It is one of the main points for health wanted by Minister Lorenzin and implemented in the
