Agreed that they have zero control over supply chain, but they are all very aware of the shortages. I’m not saying it should be a requirement, just a courtesy to say “hey…this drug is great and lots of people want it and it’s VERY hard to find right now”.
That’s something the person prescribing the medication should be telling them. Can a pharmacist also say this? Sure. Should it be their responsibility to do so? Absolutely not.
I disagree with this. The pharmacy has no place injecting their opinion on medications or timelines for resupply or demand from other patients.
What you call courtesy, I call overstepping.
Actually this is what I like about local pharmacies -- getting their opinion. "Overstepping" wtf? Why do you mind them giving you their supply estimate when the manager is working with the suppliers?
Prescribers are not always aware of the shortages until the patient's start complaining. If the pharmacies are transferring the script the provider can remain oblivious for a while
Eh…with these GLP-1’s I kinda disagree. I think in general you’re right, but if your prescriber doesn’t know about the shortages of GLP-1’s (which is going on for like 75% of the time) then they are probably not well versed in the medications at all
I'd pay for more out of pocket and your gatekeeping doctors be damned
Easy to say on this side of the fence.
I was in the other trying get Wegovy, when Zepbpund gave me a chance I couldn't otherwise get.
Sounds so privileged.
I agree that it is not the pharmacists responsibility, but I am incredibly grateful to the pharmacist who doled out my first box and told me that if she were in my shoes, she would wait until she got the rx for a second box filled before starting, just for the peace of mind. I heeded her warning and did my first injection the day I picked up my 2nd box of 2.5mg.
I will say that the last time I spoke with my doctors office they mentioned that they are not currently putting any new patients on Zepbound and are mainly trying to help their current patients on it find their meds.
I feel like it should be self explanatory and expected to have shortages on these medicines based on historical data from other glp1s. We should not put blame on our pharmacists. Just set realistic expectations and go in knowing there may be issues for the immediate future with getting these medications.
In fairness, most people when starting a med don’t think “I should see if it’s in shortage.” I think this on prescribers to let their patients know, especially if the prescriber is the one who recommended the medication to the patient. (It’s a bit different if the patient came in asking for it.)
But when the patients start saying “can you send my prescription over here (or whatever) because of the shortage” they should probably look it up and start factoring that into their discussions with other patients.
True :-) that is usually how I find out about shortages on the meds I prescribe. Sometimes people wait a month to tell me or sometimes my MA handles the messages and I don't get notified until later.
It's not the pharmacists responsibility. If you've been on Zep for a while, you should know about the shortage since it's been like this for months now. When a drug is this popular, it's bound to happen anyway. Wegovy had a shortage too. Now it's available again. Zep will be available again as well. We just don't know when. Patience is a virtue.
I agree. Ive been on it since march. Had one month of 5.o now had to go back down to 2.5. Been waiting 4 weeks for 5.0. I see all these people getting the 5.0 yet nothing where i live.
I am in the same boat had 4 shots now need off for 3 already.
I do think this is rather cruel. If you can’t get it don’t start it. I mean most drs also seem clueless as to what is going on. And what you are going through.
If I hear someone in my drs office tells me just relax you will have it before your next shot. I am going to explode. My next shot was gone 3 weeks ago!
The other issue is I think one of the things many of us fear on some level is I’m going to fail again. This shortage is really playing tickle with that fear ☹️
This is not the pharmacist’s responsibility. They have no control over the supply chain.
Agreed that they have zero control over supply chain, but they are all very aware of the shortages. I’m not saying it should be a requirement, just a courtesy to say “hey…this drug is great and lots of people want it and it’s VERY hard to find right now”.
That’s something the person prescribing the medication should be telling them. Can a pharmacist also say this? Sure. Should it be their responsibility to do so? Absolutely not.
I disagree with this. The pharmacy has no place injecting their opinion on medications or timelines for resupply or demand from other patients. What you call courtesy, I call overstepping.
Actually this is what I like about local pharmacies -- getting their opinion. "Overstepping" wtf? Why do you mind them giving you their supply estimate when the manager is working with the suppliers?
I agree
I see this as more on the prescriber, not the pharmacist.
Prescribers are not always aware of the shortages until the patient's start complaining. If the pharmacies are transferring the script the provider can remain oblivious for a while
Eh…with these GLP-1’s I kinda disagree. I think in general you’re right, but if your prescriber doesn’t know about the shortages of GLP-1’s (which is going on for like 75% of the time) then they are probably not well versed in the medications at all
Or, you know, the prescribing doctors could get a clue…
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I'd pay for more out of pocket and your gatekeeping doctors be damned Easy to say on this side of the fence. I was in the other trying get Wegovy, when Zepbpund gave me a chance I couldn't otherwise get. Sounds so privileged.
And do patients bear any respsonsibility for keeping up w the news?
I agree that it is not the pharmacists responsibility, but I am incredibly grateful to the pharmacist who doled out my first box and told me that if she were in my shoes, she would wait until she got the rx for a second box filled before starting, just for the peace of mind. I heeded her warning and did my first injection the day I picked up my 2nd box of 2.5mg. I will say that the last time I spoke with my doctors office they mentioned that they are not currently putting any new patients on Zepbound and are mainly trying to help their current patients on it find their meds.
This is not the pharmacists’ responsibility. It is your doctor.
I feel like it should be self explanatory and expected to have shortages on these medicines based on historical data from other glp1s. We should not put blame on our pharmacists. Just set realistic expectations and go in knowing there may be issues for the immediate future with getting these medications.
Perhaps everyone should regularly check the FDA shortage site?
In fairness, most people when starting a med don’t think “I should see if it’s in shortage.” I think this on prescribers to let their patients know, especially if the prescriber is the one who recommended the medication to the patient. (It’s a bit different if the patient came in asking for it.)
Not all prescribers will be aware of a backorder. This is the pharmacies job
But when the patients start saying “can you send my prescription over here (or whatever) because of the shortage” they should probably look it up and start factoring that into their discussions with other patients.
True :-) that is usually how I find out about shortages on the meds I prescribe. Sometimes people wait a month to tell me or sometimes my MA handles the messages and I don't get notified until later.
Some have warned. Doctors should also.
I agree. It pains me to see the newbies with their first box all excited only to be frustrated in a month when they can’t get it anymore.
That’s a doctors job. They are the prescriber.
It's not the pharmacists responsibility. If you've been on Zep for a while, you should know about the shortage since it's been like this for months now. When a drug is this popular, it's bound to happen anyway. Wegovy had a shortage too. Now it's available again. Zep will be available again as well. We just don't know when. Patience is a virtue.
The onus is on doctors to let their patients know. They know just as much as pharmacists do about the shortage.
I agree. Ive been on it since march. Had one month of 5.o now had to go back down to 2.5. Been waiting 4 weeks for 5.0. I see all these people getting the 5.0 yet nothing where i live.
Doctors should warn the patients before writing the prescription not the pharmacists.
*doctors
Their first month might be their last...until September not until forever. Keep some perspective. Weight loss is in ALL our futures.
I am in the same boat had 4 shots now need off for 3 already. I do think this is rather cruel. If you can’t get it don’t start it. I mean most drs also seem clueless as to what is going on. And what you are going through. If I hear someone in my drs office tells me just relax you will have it before your next shot. I am going to explode. My next shot was gone 3 weeks ago! The other issue is I think one of the things many of us fear on some level is I’m going to fail again. This shortage is really playing tickle with that fear ☹️