Foreign language prescription labeling

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Limitor - 11 Oct 2005 00:59 GMT

Recently there has been an increase in prescriptions bearing the notation:
"label in <language>". Usually, due to my geographic location, the language
is Spanish in which case I can usually find a co-worker (a non-pharmacist)
to translate from English into Spanish. I do, however, not speak or
understand Spanish and feel very uncomfortable - fearing a possible error in
translation which could result in a serious medication error. Last week, a
prescription was noted "cousel and label in Punjabi" - in which case I
couldn't find anyone to translate - yet the patient understood English.
Physician's office was closed and I was not able to obtain permission to
override his mandate to label in Punjabi and, with his consent, label in
English. State Board will not furnish clarification of procedures to follow
in these matters. I declined to fill the prescription.

Has anyone had similar problems? How were they resolved?

Thanks

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P T - 11 Oct 2005 03:06 GMT

I encounter this issue frequently. Spanish translation is often
requested. That's easy. There are some free websites that will
translate a brief message into other common languages.

The tough ones are languages like Vietnamese or Hmong. The letters are
different, people who speak the language disagree sometimes about the
meaning of a tranlation, and the patient is often illiterate!

Are we doing the patient a favor? I recently read a thread in another
forum where a pharmacist questioned if doing things for patients helps
them, or makes them more helpless. OTOH, I read an article not too long
ago, some hospitals were reprimanded by the state for failing to provide
fluent sign language interpreters for deaf patients.

You can't win.

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Pumbaa - 11 Oct 2005 14:17 GMT

> I encounter this issue frequently. Spanish translation is often
> requested. That's easy. There are some free websites that will
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> You can't win.

Right, if I were to suggest that new Americans should have to learn the
English language I would be PI (Politically Incorrect). I know if I were to
move to France I would try my best to learn the French language. It was a
good idea for everyone to speak the same language, but God(s) didn't agree
(Genesis 11:7).

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nospam@aol.com - 12 Oct 2005 07:12 GMT

>Recently there has been an increase in prescriptions bearing the notation:
>"label in <language>". Usually, due to my geographic location, the language
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
>Thanks

Very simple solution. You say the patient understands English. He should take
the prescription back to his doctor and have him delete the requirement to label
in Punjabi.

But maybe he took it to another pharmacy where he could get it translated.

Ora

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