Pharmacists and Prescription Drug Abuse

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West Virginia has one of the highest rates for prescription drug abuse, and overdose in the nation. In order to change this it is important to understand what pharmacists do, their role in prevention, and the severity of prescription drug abuse. Pharmacists are known to dispense prescription drugs to patients and inform them about their use; However, one aspect of their career most people overlook is that Pharmacists must keep a sharp eye out for criminals looking to abuse these prescribed drugs.
First, here is some important background information about Pharmacists. A Pharmacist is someone who is trained and licensed to distribute medicinal drugs and to advise on their use. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook Pharmacists do all of the following: "Fill prescriptions, verify proper amounts of medication to give to patients, check whether the prescription will interact negatively with other drugs that a patient is taking or conditions the patient has, instruct patients on how to and when to take a prescribed medicine, Advise patients on potential side effects they may experience from taking the medicine, Advise patients about general health topics, such as diet, exercise, managing stress, and on other issues, such as what equipment or supplies would be best for a health problem, Keep records and do other administrative tasks, Complete insurance forms and work with insurance companies to be sure that patients get the medicine they need, Teach other healthcare practitioners about proper medication therapies for patients, and lastly oversee the work of pharmacy technicians and pharmacists training."() Some pharmacists participate in compounding, where they create medications by mixing ingredients themselves. Pharmacists tha...

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...s completely in the patients hands to do the right thing.

Works Cited

Eyre, Eric. "Pharmacists Struggle to Stop Sales of Drug Used to Make Meth." Charleston Gazette (2013): n.pag. Ebsco. Web. 2 Dec 2013 .

Hagen, Philip. Guide to Self Care: Everyday Health Problems. 3rd ed. Rochester, Jacksonville, Scottsdale: Mayo Clinic, 2010. 20-45. Print.

"Pharmacists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Web. 8 Dec 2013 .

"Pharmacists." Webster's Dictionary . United States of America: KAPPA, 2003. Print.

"Topics in Brief: Prescription Drug Abuse." National Institute of Drug Abuse, 6 Dec 2011. Web. 8 Dec 2013 .

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