Project STOP researched
April 10, 2013
Pharmacists are more likely to
participate in anti-pseudoephedrine
diversion programs such as
Project STOP if they know what is
happening to the information they
provide to the police.
That’s one of the key findings
of a new study published by Dr
Julianne Webster from the Griffith
University School of Criminology
and Criminal Justice.
Pharmacists in Queensland and
Victoria were invited to take part in
the project via announcements in
Pharmacy Daily during 2009 as well
as via emails from the Pharmacy
Guild of Australia.
Participants described their
attitude to Project STOP, with the
collation of the results indicating
a range of factors influencing the
scheme’s effectiveness.
About 600 pharmacists took part,
of which 77% always used the
Project STOP system in the course
of supplying pseudoephedrine.
Webster compared responses
from the different states, with
influences including regulatory
requirements, interest in assisting
the police, complying with possible
audits and ensuring that informed
decisions are made.
Reasons for not using Project
STOP included instances where
the customer had a prescription,
where the customer was trusted, if
the therapeutic need was already
established, if the pharmacist was
too busy, or if the customer was
threatening.
Interviews with pharmacists
showed that female pharmacists
who worked alone, particularly in
the evening, were unlikely to refuse
to supply pseudoephedrine to a
customer who was intimidating.
Relationships with police were
also seen as important, with just
under half of pharmacists feeling
that police didn’t use the data from
Project STOP effectively.
Project STOP was described as an
“innovative response to a prevalent
drug problem,” encompassing
police mobilising community
pharmacy in a “guardianship role”
to stop and prevent diversion.
“Community pharmacists, in the
main, strongly support Project
STOP and agree it is an effective
mechanism to assist them to make
more informed decisions about
therapeutic sales,” the report read.
To view the report CLICK HERE.
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