DOCTORS COMMISSIONS ON DRUGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11975, 26 May 1902, Page 5

DOCTORS COMMISSIONS ON DRUGS.

PROTESTS BY CHEMISTS.

[BY TliLKOßAt'lt.— ASSOCIATION.] Christchurcii, Saturday. At a meeting ol the Pharmaceutical Association of Canterbury last evening a. grave scandal was revealed in connection with doctors' prescriptions.

One of the leading chemists moved, " That this association disapprove of- the giving of secret commissions to doctors in any form whatever." He said a - great evil had grown out of the practice of giving these commissions. One Christchurch firm was paying commission amounting to 50 per cent, on the retail price. The outcome of the practice was that nine out of ten prescriptions written by some medical men would contain tho name 01 the firm referred to. Out 01 every proscription worth 2s 6d, the amount of Is 3d would go in commission given by that firm. Anothei evil was that druggists who frequently paid 50 per cent, in commission could not make up the loss by a higher charge, as they were in competition with other druggists. When a doctor had to receive 50 per cent, it reduced the chemist to such a position that he could not honestly dispense the prescription. There were several notorious cases where the health of patients had been consider?, injured by that practice. There were other cases in which tho niattei had been Drought undei the notice of the doctor, who, though aware that the prescription had not been honestly made up, refused to go to the chemist who dispensed it and complain, as he was in the same box as the chemist.

Some discussion ensued, one chemist stating that there were doctors in the city who libelled the druggists who did riot give them commissions, but took good care they did not come within the libel law. Another said that there were many cases where a certain preparation was ordered of a standard brand, and the chemist's own brand was made up, owing to the expensive nature of the drugs needed lot the prescription. Eventually the motion was carried unanimously. __________^__

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