It is entirely in the scope of practice of a pharmacist to refuse to fill an Rx when ever and however they choose. Thankfully they are professional and don't take such liberties because they too have pt interest at heart. Choosing to not refill an Rx for a "lost" controlled substance seems quite reasonable to me. I would expect a pharmacy board and retail chain to fully back their RPH/PharmD. Barking up the complaint tree does no one any good.
Focus on solutions. Extra coverage with neurontin? Different benzo at different pharmacy? Friendly conversation with pharmacist with out grizzle in your voice, how can we help our pt, what are you willing to do PharmD to help this problem?
This is another reason why benzos are a bad Rx. Don't prescribe them and pts won't lose them and there won't be any of these emergencies.
This is concept is so much BS. A prescription is not bad because a
pharmacist thinks it's bad. They can think it is for their own part in it, fine. But let's assume that the #1 thing that motivates me to write an order is that
in my medical judgement it THE best treatment for them to have. Why else did I choose it? So, I'm supposed to put aside what is most indicated for a patient because some other professional
who is not qualified to make that determination doesn't want to do it? Do you not see why its a problem for ancillary staff to dictate what medical treatments are used? If I had a nickel for every page I ever had where someone wanted to do/not do something that could have killed my patient....
Benzos are a mainstay and important part of treatment for seizure patients. That isn't likely to change anytime soon. Letting them be treated as a "bad Rx" is just a disservice to medical practice, period, and letting this trend continue will only hurt people.
Luckily in this case we're not dealing with a seizure patient. That doesn't make any of this medically appropriate. My point is that regardless of indication, given the place that benzos have as a treatment, this is all ridiculous and dangerous.
Just because a health care professional can/can't do something, doesn't make it the right choice.
Yes, you could just stop prescribing them. But you shouldn't
have to for this reason.