Dispensing Medication

Assalamualaikum

I just read an interesting article today in NST where The Ministry of Health is conducting a pilot project where the doctors only diagnose illness and issue prescription without dispensing medication. Dispensing medication will be done by pharmacist, which they have been fighting for the return of this right for almost 20 years. The current practice is the doctor diagnose illness, prescribe the medication & dispense it at their own clinic.

In my own experience you will never have a choice of what kind or brand of medication you prefer according to your financial situation. Most doctors will never explain thoroughly what are the medications effects, benefits and so forth.

Like previously I suffered allergic rhinitis, the good doctor prescribed & dispense NasacortAQ (nasal spray) for me. The doctor told that it should be taken everyday. But since I'm not convinced, I look up in the net that the main ingredient is steroid. So I inquired my friend who is a pharmacist and my friend told me that the maximum I can take Nasacort is only 2 weeks. More than that I will suffer rebound which would be a lot worse.

So I'm in the opinion the pharmacist should dispense medication.