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Medicine for 2010 guests

HOTELS, guesthouses and the many generous South Africans who will be hosting overseas guests during the World Cup must advise them to travel with valid copies of their medicine scripts, as well as the contact details of where they acquired the scripts back home.

HOTELS, guesthouses and the many generous South Africans who will be hosting overseas guests during the World Cup must advise them to travel with valid copies of their medicine scripts, as well as the contact details of where they acquired the scripts back home.

Should they need these scripts to be filled while they are in South Africa, they will have to be validated by a local doctor before a pharmacist can issue the medication.

This is according to Drew Horner, chairperson of United South African Pharmacies, a national network of over 1000 independent pharmacies.

"As with overseas travel anywhere in the world, it's best to plan for every eventuality. So in addition to bringing enough medication for the duration of their trip, soccer fans should also bring the prescriptions in case they lose the medication itself."

Horner said many of the visitors will be on chronic medication, such as those for diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol, or antibiotics and anti-depressants.

Many of these are listed as Schedule 5 in South Africa, which means they cannot be dispensed by a pharmacist without a valid prescription, said Horner.

South African legislation does not allow pharmacists to dispense medication on scripts issued by doctors outside of South Africa without that patient having the script validated by a local doctor.

Horner suggests hosts keep details of a local doctor who offers an after-hours service, as well as their closest independent pharmacy, many of whom have joined the Carepoint Pharmacy Network.

"Most independent pharmacies stay open late, or have an emergency after-hours number for the pharmacist who is available 24/7. We also offer free deliveries - a service visitors may find convenient."

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