Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacy rejects drug abuse claims

SUGGESTIONS that misuse of prescription medications and illicit drugs is widespread in the pharmacy profession are not reflective of reality, professional bodies claim.

Responding to an assertion made by banned Victorian pharmacist, William Trieu, that the use of medications such as Xanax and recreational drugs were "part of the culture" of the profession (PD 15 Nov), representatives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), and trade union group, Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA) have said such behaviour was not the norm.

A PSA spokesperson told Pharmacy Daily that Trieu's behaviour - which involved diverting more than 33,000 Xanax pills from pharmacies he was working in over a two-and-a-half-year period - was "an isolated, extremely rare incident and not indicative of a culture within the pharmacy profession".

"These actions are a gross breach of public trust, and there is no place for offences like this within the profession of pharmacy," the spokesperson said.

"Pharmacists are custodians of medicines and medicine safety, and such behaviour is abhorred by the profession."

PPA National Committee Member, Bianca Piljic, said that she had not heard of drug misuse being prevalent in the profession.

"I actually don't know the specific number of reports we currently have but there is a small amount, and as far as I know not significantly more and probably less than other [healthcare profession's] Boards with access to addictive medicines such as med, dentistry and nursing and vets," she said.

"Alcohol is probably the bigger problem for most boards."

Piljic encouraged pharmacists who may be misusing medications or illicit drugs to contact the Pharmacists' Support Service for counselling on 1300 244 910.

She added that the union was concerned "that employees cannot readily access mental health leave as part of their sick leave entitlements under the National Employment Standards".

"This is not different to that of sick leave for another reason and employees have the right to request it from their employer without feeling ridiculed," she said.