Availability of narcotics and pharmacists' attitudes toward narcotic prescriptions for cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine narcotic availability and pharmacist apprehension toward dispensing narcotics for cancer patients.


METHODS
Mailing of a one-page survey.


METHODS
All pharmacies in the state of New Mexico.


METHODS
Of the 309 pharmacies, 76.1 percent (235) completed the survey.


RESULTS
Apprehension was significantly elevated for methadone, hydromorphone, and for morphine doses greater than 500 mg/d (p less than 0.001). The most common reasons listed for apprehension were forgery (46.4 percent), theft (40.4 percent), high dosages (23.8 percent), narcotic investigations (18.7 percent), and patient addiction (9.4 percent). Hydromorphone was available (in stock) in 80.5 percent of the pharmacies, followed by morphine 30-mg sustained-release tablets (64.5 percent) and methadone (53.4 percent). The vast majority of pharmacists were willing to order strong narcotics for specific patients. Pharmacists working in chain stores expressed a higher level of apprehension toward dispensing methadone and more frequently cited forgery as a reason for apprehension. Distance from a metropolitan area and practice setting best predicted apprehension to forgery (p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacists do not appear to be a major obstruction to adequate analgesia for cancer patients in New Mexico but may require further education regarding lack of narcotic addiction and dosing in patients with cancer.
Holdsworth
M T
MT
College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131.
Raisch
D W
DW
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D006801:Humans; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009516:New Mexico; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D009294:Narcotics