Veterinary prescription fraud

The British Veterinary Association have been cited as calling on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to introduce more robust measures to stop prescription fraud. Unfortunately Vet Juris thinks it is going to be a very long wait.

The problem with veterinary prescriptions is that there is no mechanism in place to cancel prescriptions once they have been filled by a pharmacist. Unlike human scripts, our prescriptions are not serial numbered and they do not have to be forwarded on to a central body, for the pharmacist to receive payment and the script to be cancelled. Because of this difference, a major problem in prescription fraud has been the duplication of the document by scanning multiple times or faxing the same document to several internet pharmacies.

At The Vet we have started embossing the practice details over the signature of the prescribing vet and adding a line: “Invalid if not embossed”; thereby preventing faxing or scanning . Unfortunately, this does add a level of difficulty for the client wishing to purchase their medicines via prescription, but it is a step forward in preventing prescription fraud.

Time will tell if this system works or not; perhaps pharmacies could be mystery shopped with invalid prescriptions. What is really needed is for the VMB to stop sitting on the fence and suggesting voluntary schemes, that will never be fully complied with, and introduce a standardised and serial numbered prescription pad that can be used on a national basis.

VJ(C)2012