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Doc, Your gonna like this one from the NHS Scotland.

Now that might get me to quit. haha




GPASS accidentally prescribes Viagra to smokers
13 Dec 2006 Click to see the
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A glitch with the Scottish GP system GPASS has resulted in smokers trying to quit the habit being mistakenly prescribed anti-impotence drug Viagra by doctors.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board said the error was due to a computer glitch at two city GP practices, according to a report by BBC Scotland.

Rather than receiving a prescription for Zyban as prescribed by their GP the GPASS computer system instead incorrectly selected sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra.

The e-Formulary computer system used within the GPASS system is designed to automatically select a list of the most popular drugs when doctors fill out prescriptions.

As a result of the error, some patients went to their pharmacy with a prescription for the anti-impotence drug instead of tablets to help them stop smoking. But checks by the pharmacists before they prescribed the wrong medication are thought to have picked up the error.

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

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board said it was made aware of the problem on Tuesday and alerted all its GPs to the problem.

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."

The spokesperson added: "At no time was patient care affected by this, as all prescriptions are subject to stringent double-checking by both prescribing doctors and pharmacy staff."





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