Citation

Daveluy A, Sauvaget L, Bastien A, Lapeyre-Mestre M, Collin C, Richard N, Haramburu F. Fundam. Clin. Pharmacol. 2018; 32(5): 571-577.

Affiliation

Inserm U1219, Bordeaux Population Health, Equipe Pharmacoépidémiologie, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/fcp.12368

PMID

29582450

Abstract

In France, prescription of narcotics must be written on a tamper-resistant prescription form with specific technical particularities. Dosage and daily dose of medicines shall be written out entirely in letters. These prescription forms are also mandatory for buprenorphine, clorazepate, clonazepam, tianeptine, buccal midazolam and zolpidem owing to traffic, abuse or diversion. In 2012, to assess the use of standard and tamper-resistant prescription forms and the acceptability of the generalization of the latter to all medicines, a national opinion survey was performed, with a postal questionnaire, within 3 randomized samples of 1,500 prescribers (physicians, dentists and midwives). Of the 403 participating prescribers (participation rate of 26.8%), 373 were physicians, 14 dentists and 16 midwives. Tamper-resistant prescription forms were used by 76.2% of prescribers, but only by 5.1% in a computerised version, whereas, for standard prescription forms, 61% used computer assisted prescription software. The main reason was the inability of the prescription software to print these forms or to respect the mandatory prescription rules for narcotics. Theft and falsification of prescriptions had ever occurred (working life). Most prescribers (62.5%) were against the generalization of tamper-resistant prescription forms. Those in favour were for a generalization to all medicines (65%) and not only to psychotropic agents. Generalization of tamper-resistant prescription forms is not a consensual solution to prevent medicines' diversion. Some prescribers alluded to the possibility of dematerialisation and electronic transmission of prescription forms, which could avoid theft, forgery or falsification. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Addictovigilance; Controlled Substances; Drug Prescriptions; Electronic Prescribing