The Ministry of Health is working on a new regulation that will reduce the need for patients with medical reports to visit healthcare facilities every month solely to renew their prescriptions. The planned system aims to allow patients with valid medical reports to obtain the relevant medication directly from pharmacies.
Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu stated in his remarks regarding the initiative that they aim to ensure patients with medical reports do not have to repeatedly have the same medication prescribed. Memişoğlu said, "Let's say a report is written. You have a 6-month medication report. Once the medication is prescribed by a doctor, you will be able to get it directly from the pharmacy until there is a change regarding that medication. In other words, there is no need to go to the doctor again to have a second prescription written."
The regulation is expected to provide convenience, especially for citizens who use regular medication due to chronic illnesses. Minister Memişoğlu stated that they are working on a system that allows the medication to be picked up from the pharmacy in monthly doses for the duration of the report, adding that they aim to launch the practice "very soon."
Memişoğlu noted that patients who use multiple medications based on different reports and are forced to renew prescriptions on different dates will also be able to benefit from this process. The Minister emphasized that steps are being taken to bring healthcare services to the citizens and to ensure that, in particular, the elderly can access services without having to go to the hospital.
Taner Ercanlı, Secretary General of the Turkish Pharmacists Association, told NTV that pharmacies are ready for the implementation in terms of infrastructure and equipment. Ercanlı stated that the scope has not yet been finalized, noting that the initial phase could begin with disease groups such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and COPD.
Stating that more than 31 thousand pharmacies in Turkey operate like primary healthcare providers, Ercanlı expressed that pharmacists could alleviate the burden on the healthcare system for regularly prescribed medications. According to information obtained, the regulation is targeted to be implemented by the end of the year.
News Source: 12punto
