Prison for drug supply doctors

DOCTORS who prescribe drugs to addicts could face jail under revised laws proposed by the Territory Government.

The revised laws call for a compulsory contract between a doctor and a patient when prescribing schedule 8 drugs such as morphine and pethidine.

If doctors fail to stick to the revised guidelines for the prescription of the drugs, they may face penalties that can include six months' imprisonment or a $1000 fine.

The proposed changes were tabled in parliament by Health Minister Peter Toyne last week.

The changes are part of a bid to tighten up controls over the sale of schedule 8 and 4 drugs, which include amphetamines and valium.

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr David Meadows said the penalties could stop doctors from prescribing schedule 8 drugs altogether.

"I have never been in favour of the mandatory nature of it," Dr Meadows said.

"What tends to happen is that once you put in penalties doctors are not prepared to do it (prescribe schedule 8 drugs), so the patients will have to go to the hospital, which is under-resourced and everybody will be back on the street."

Dr Meadows said he believed the bulk of prescription drugs available on the black market in the NT came from down south and were brought up by interstate
travellers and backpackers.

"Only a smaller percentage of the number of tablets that get on to supply the black market are from prescriptions," he said.

Dr Meadows said while he agreed a monitoring system did need to be put in place for the prescription of schedule 8 drugs, fines and penalties were not the answer.

The amendments to the Drugs Act will also prevent health professionals from prescribing potentially addictive drugs to themselves, in line with the rest of Australia.

The fact the NT is the only jurisdiction that allows pharmacists to supply patients with schedule 8 drugs prescribed by interstate doctors will also be addressed in the amendments.

Debate was adjourned on the amendment bill last week and is expected to continue at the next parliamentary sittings.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 29th August 2004
Source: Sunday Territorian
Author: Penny Baxter
Url: http://www.ntnews.com.au
Email: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au