The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-03-19

number OF pharmacies, making 1t
ineonvenient for the public to OBJ
tain prompt prescription service
Merchandising activities of drug
stores, frequently derided, make
the services of registered phar.
inhclsts available and moro con-
venient to the public.
4. Although regulations govern
Ing the pharmaceutical profession
are strict enough, the privileges OF
unlicensed persons operating out
side of pharmacy are 30 extensive
that the public enjoys little protec-
ton in the sales of'packaged medi-
cines.
s. While self medication Is In.
creasing, there is not available suf-
ficient information on which the
public can base Its Judgment as TO
what type OF medicine may safely
ne used for the treatment of simple
and minor conditions.
$3.50 Per Capita Through Doctors
G. Drugs prescribed or dispensed
through doctors do-no. constitute
large portion Of the total costs
| OF medical care. Physicians pre-
scriptions plus the drugs dispensed
in doctors Offices average approx
imately $3.50 per person per year
1T Is significant" the report
reads, that the costs Of medicines
TO patients are still lower when
the ,conditipns Of treatment per-
NIT u physician to prescribe only
such medicines as he considers ne
cessary TO good results" such con.
| ditions exist. according TO the re-
port, where medical service IL rem
dered on an annual rather than
fee basis, as In industrial or uni
versity health services.
Millions Spent OH Patent Medicines
Few OF the so-called patent
medicines" are actually registered
| as to ingredients and granted pat
| ents from the United States patent
office. Most of them are projected
| by trade names which become.
through registration and usage,
| the property of the manufacturer
OF distributor. The formulas are
secret.
The report states that $50 dong
| as secrecy OF composition Us per-
missable for medicines offered for
decentralization, and 80 long as the
| public Is kept in ignorance OF the
proper uses and value of common
drugs. the quack will find some
method to ply his trade" M
Expenditures for fraudulent
cures range from $15.000.000 up
ward each year.
Future Pharmacy Recommends
lions "a
The authors made four recon-
mendations based on their survey
| for the committee on the costs Of
| medical care. They are:
!. Secret formula drugs and
medicines should be abolished
through the compulsory disclosure
| on the label of the kind and guam
tity of medicinal ingredients. Those
| developing new and distinct prep
arations should be financially pro-
tected by appropriate privileges
| granted by disinterested agency.
2. ALI manufacturers of drugs
! and medicines should be required
h, to operate under annual licenses to
be granted by the federal govern
ment upon the fulfillment of salts
/ factory conditions with regard to
| competency of personnel, equip
| inent and sanitary surroundings,
and Standardization of finished
products.
8. Agencies should be estab-
| lished to prepare and disseminate
4 information concerning the proper
| use of home remedies appropriate
Tor Standardization with the aid of
a committee of physicians and
pharmacists of unquestioned repu-
tntion and standing. Universal and
Unnecessary use of self-prescribed
medicine should be vigorously dis
Outraged.
| 4. Professional knowledge OF
pharmacists should be used more
adequately by reducing physicians
reliance on branded products; by
permitting pharmacists to instruct
drug store customers In proper use
OF medicines purchased for self
medication, but not to the extent
OF diagnosing ailments or recom-
mending medicines; by the phar-
macist distributing Information
dealing with medicines and hy-
aiene prepared By health depart
a.ents; and by supplying inf0rma-
lion to the public concerning ply
sicians and hospitals on the basis
OF data provided by local medical
ar h0eDilal aeeooaitione