RIGHT TO PRESCRIBE

Yesterday, an educated patient came to my pharmacy.

Patient: "Is the person wrote this prescription a doctor? "
Me:" No, he is not a doctor. He is a Medical Assistant. Any problems? "
Patient: "He is not a doctor? Does he have the right to write a prescription? I thought only doctor can write a prescription? "
Me: "He has the right to prescribe, if the clinic is short of doctors. Actually you have the right to request to see a doctor if you felt unsatisfied with his diagnosis. "
Patient: "He didn't listen to me, just kept copying from my medical record. "
Me: "Do you want to see a doctor now? I can help you to see a doctor. "

Then, I faster called to the Medical Assistant and asked him to bring the patient to see a doctor.

Me: "You can go back to the examine room. He will bring you to see a doctor. "
Patient: "It's ok. I don't want to see a doctor now. Just give me the medicines. "
Me: "Fine. This medicine is for diarrhea (Lomotil), 1 tablet three times a day. This mixture (Magnesium trisilicate, MMT) is for gastric."
Patient: "Which I don't have. "
Me: "Do you have heart burn? "
Patient: "No. "
Me: "Wind? "
Patient: "Yes." (But showing an unsatisfied face)
Me: "So this mixture is for the wind in the stomach (flatulence). "
Patient: "Anyway, thanks for your help. "
Me: "You're welcome. "

Actually, I was shocked to see a prescription wrote by a Medical Assistant on the 1st day I reported duty to my clinic. My senior pharmacist told me that was something very common in clinics. Some clinics even don't have a doctor. Only Medical Assistants take care of the clinics and the patients. Patients even call them as a doctor. Honestly, I won't trust on their diagnosis. They just copy what the doctors prescribed previously. Or they just treat the patients symptomatically. Yet, this is the situation in Malaysia.