E-prescriptions sparked acrimonious clash between doctors' and pharmacists' unions

Two days after the introduction of electronic prescriptions - a sharp clash between the doctors' and pharmacists' unions. Pharmacists are pushing for introduction of generic substitution of medicines in normative acts and denying the doctors' union's claims of a "pharmacy dictatorship". However, the doctors' union said that no one has exempted fellow pharmacists from the law, but in the past 2 days large number of patients were turned away and had to go back to the doctors’ offices as pharmacies could not process the electronic prescriptions

One of the most frequent problems after the introduction of the e-prescriptions for antibiotics and medications for diabetics is the lack of synchronization between doctors' and pharmacies' software, which go through the national health information system. The discrepancy in data between the doctors' software and that of the pharmacists is so drastic that sometimes it is not even clear which antibiotic has been prescribed, as happened with a prescription for a 3-year-old child.

Maria, Pharmacist: "Several times we opened the system, but no antibiotic was displayed."

Pharmacists said there should have been a grace period in which to test for problems before completely eliminating paper prescriptions for antibiotics and medications for diabetics. Electronic prescription for these medicines is now mandatory.

"We had absolutely no grace period to adjust the software, whether theirs or ours, all this leads to countless mistakes," said Milena Kamenova, deputy chairwoman of the Regional Pharmaceutical College - Plovdiv.

Antibiotics and diabetes drugs are sold only with electronic prescriptions

In order to write an electronic prescription, doctors must also draw up an outpatient list and be registered with a medical facility. At the same time, according to the Bulgarian Doctors' Union, no such control takes place in pharmacies because no signature is required when receiving the medicines.

The chairman of the Bulgarian Medical Association, Dr Ivan Madjarov, said in the studio of "The Day Begins" that neither they nor pharmacies have the right to turn away patients:

"The law says that if there is no medication prescribed by the doctor, the pharmacy must within 24 hours deliver it or refer the patient to the nearest pharmacy that would have it. That's what the law says."

In just 2 days, 26,000 e-prescriptions were issued. Less than half have been fulfilled.

Maria, Pharmacist: "When the mother sits there with teary eyes and tells me my child is in there and right now she's throwing up in the car and you make me go back one more time and the doctor tells me don't bring her back because there are 50 kids right now outside my office waiting for examination ..."

Electronic prescriptions for antibiotics - a difficulty for doctors, an ease for patients

"We have warned the ministry repeatedly - please don't mislead the public with this app. This is not an electronic game," said Dr. Ivan Madjarov.

According to Madjarov, white paper prescriptions apply everywhere:

"And they will be valid, which means that Bulgarian patients will increase their tourism for medicine to buy in other countries."

Ivan Madjarov: White paper prescriptions are valid everywhere and will boost tourism for medicine abroad

It is not yet clear how family doctors in remote settlements without pharmacies, who until now have supplied their patients with medicines themselves through pharmacy warehouses, will act.