Hot topic: Prescribing for friends

Medicolegal adviser Dr Chris Godeseth explains why you should never treat your friends and family

You have probably heard the biblical proverb “physician, heal thyself”, or the more familiar words of The Simpsons’ Dr Nick Riviera: “Seriously baby, I can prescribe anything I want.” Unfortunately, neither seems to fit with best practice in modern medicine.

Consider how you might react to a worried friend asking for some Tamiflu “just in case”

The GMC demands that, wherever possible, doctors should avoid treating those with whom they have a close personal relationship, and they should be registered with a GP outside their family. This guidance seems logical and reasonable; patients, including those with medical training, need independent, objective doctors. However, when faced with competing demands from friends, family and colleagues, it may be surprisingly easy to breach. MPS regularly receives calls to our advice line on these issues.

Consider how you might react to a worried friend asking for some Tamiflu “just in case”, or to non-medical colleagues on the ward asking for antiemetics the morning after a big night out. These requests may seem innocent at the time; it might seem easy to write a quick prescription for a drug in common use on the wards, but the unwitting doctor may end up facing the GMC.

In reality the introduction of private prescribers’ pads means foundation doctors are unlikely to be able to prescribe privately. Unfortunately, MPS has seen some doctors caught out using prescription pads issued to other doctors, or even by using other patients’ details in a hospital setting.

If you need further guidance when facing a scenario similar to those above, contact MPS at the earliest opportunity.