Smokers prescribed Viagra to quit

[stubacca68]

Smokers trying to quit the habit were mistakenly prescribed anti-impotence drug Viagra by doctors.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the error was due to a computer glitch at two city GP practices.

When GPs selected anti-smoking pill Zyban, computers selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra.

A health board spokeswoman said: "At no time was patient care affected by this as all prescriptions are subject to stringent double checking."

The e-Formulary computer system used by GPs automatically selects a list of the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions.

Some patients went to the pharmacy with a prescription for the anti-impotence drug instead of tablets to help them stop smoking.

The health board was made aware of the problem on Tuesday and alerted all its GPs to the problem.

It is not thought anyone left a chemist with the wrong medication.

A health board spokeswoman said: "A computer glitch was discovered by two Glasgow GP practices that use the Glasgow e-Formulary, following a recent update of the online GPass system used throughout Scotland.

"As a precaution an advisory e-mail and memo was issued to all practices which use GPass and have installed the e-Formulary to alert staff."

Quote from the BBC website

Imagine that "excuse me doc i want to stop smoking" and you then get given viagra! the drug names are not even similar, bupropion (zyban) and sildenafil (viagra) and they say that computers are the future! now that is a real mixup! but at least it was noticed!
I feel sorry for the patients who don't know any different they just take the docs and pharmacy staffs word! I am glad that the forces dont use this system!

[baps]

hmmmm i wonder what their respective partners thought!

[Arwen]

Lmao not that i need it but if smokers were offered summit like that for stopping smoking there would be less smokers as no one would be out they would all be in bed lol

[TGLucario]

ROFL....thats funny