An important point made on the KevinMD blog worth noting: The major drug stores that our pain clinic works with are not currently providing prescription medications with labels in the different languages our patients speak. It can be very dangerous for a patient if they have no idea what they are taking or how to take it. While a physician can write a prescription for a drug, the responsibility to make sure the drug is properly administered and understood lies in the hands of the physicians, the pharmacists who are administering that drug and the patients (as well as patients’ caregivers) to ensure they properly understand how to use their medication.
At Allevio, our team speaks a number of different languages, including but not limited to:
- English
- French
- Spanish
- Farsi
- Filipino
It happens from time to time that a patient will come to Allevio who either does not read English, or who does not understand the language without support from a caregiver. While we do not monitor medications for patients on a long term basis, we certainly know that managing pain medications can be complex, and requires a clear understanding of what they are and how to use them. Without understanding, patients cannot become knowledgeable and manage prescriptions properly and this may result in serious health risks.
The next time you happen to find yourself in the pharmacy, make sure to discuss your opinion with your Pharmacist on having drug labels available to people who cannot read English. Patient opinions are always heard loud and clear!