3 ms·
A middle ground is to let a pharmacist dispense it after going over side effects, instructions, interactions and existing conditions (without a Rx).
by lokar 3y ago
A middle ground is to let a pharmacist dispense it after going over side effects, instructions, interactions and existing conditions (without a Rx).
- Sanzig 3y agoYeah, I think this is the most reasonable approach. ED medication can have some nasty side effects and interactions, so a medical professional should be in the loop - but that professional could easily be a pharmacist who already has a copy of all the other Rx drugs the patient is taking.
- junofan 3y agoFeels a little silly to be forced to have a chat with the lady at the grocery store pharmacy about dick pills whenever I might need them. I can just order it on Amazon apparently.
- dreamcompiler 3y agoThat would work. Viagra is a blood-pressure lowering drug (that was its original purpose). If you take it with other BP-lowering drugs like nitroglycerin etc, you could pass out or even die. So some degree of oversight by a medical professional is warranted.
- everforward 3y agoThe pharmacist probably doesn't have a medical history. You could have a copy sent to them from your doc. At that point we're approaching the same level of hassle as just getting a prescription, though. My proposal would be to create a new type of rx: a "standing rx". Some form of probably-digital rx that your doctor gives you that allows you to buy unlimited quantities of the named drug until the doctor revokes it, and it's easily transfer-able between pharmacies. Digital mostly to provide a means of revoking it that doesn't involve calling the doctor every time you try to buy it, though I'm open to counter-arguments about being vulnerable to hacking. Then you only have to go through the hassle once, and it's honestly probably easier to have your doctor check the interactions than it is to do yourself. They have nifty tools to do that kind of stuff. I do still wonder whether it should just be OTC, though. On one hand, the interactions are easy to understand. On the other hand, I routinely see people not read or intentionally ignore the instructions on stuff like tylenol (oh it says 2? I'll take 4, because my headache is bad). The common "do we give adults agency or try to protect them from themselves?" issue.