On Monday, May 4, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize announced new directives pertaining to certain substances under lockdown Level 4.
The directives are as follows:
– [Medical] prescriptions for scheduled substances will now be valid for six months instead of three, and pharmacists are required to have enough of the substances to meet the demand
– Patients will not need to consult with a healthcare practitioner, as the timeframe during which the prescription remains valid still stands as a result of the extension
– Consultations with healthcare practitioners to issue new prescriptions will enable the healthcare practitioner to determine whether the patient is responding well to the scheduled substance/s. If not, the dosage or substance may be changed completely
– Scheduled substances may not be dispensed for longer than 12 months from the date of issue of the initial subscription
– In instances where the prescription is issued six months before the notice date, prescriptions may only be issued for a further six months
– The directive applies until November 2021
– The directive applies until November 2021
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