Is this "accepted scientific consensus" or a lie?

florist · Guest

Is this "accepted scientific consensus" or a lie?
Are doctors allowed to prescribe anything that is not toxic?

While my Mother was in a facility in Oklahoma, I had to hire people to go to the nursing home to give her supplements because I was told physicians could not prescribe supplements. Also, the supplements are pharmaculical grade which I took to the facility and I offered to have the items put into individual packages for easy dispensing.

I was told it was illegal for doctors to prescribe anything that was not a drug.

The reason I feel now I may have been duped was the fact that physicans are allowed to prescribe vitamins to new mothers.

Just curious if anyone has ran into this.

brainman

Supplements do not require a prescription. It is just that some doctors are not too familiar with supplements and their health benefits. My own surgeon put together the list of vitamins and supplements I am taking. There is nothing illegal about what he did as long as he did not tell me that the supplements would cure me. He just told me that they would health the healing process by making sure that my body had all of the vitamins it needed.

Always talk with your own medical team before starting any new supplement since some might interfere with your medications.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

florist · Guest

The facility in Oklahoma said unless I could find a doctor to prescribe the supplements, they could not give them. Guess the problem was "No" doctors in our area who work with the elderly know enough to do this.

brainman

That is really strange. No doctor will even suggest over-the-counter supplements??? I can understand the a facility would what to have a doctor's orders to use supplements, but that is a different issue than the need of a prescription. If your mother is already taking supplements then it is just a matter of informing the staff and your doctor of the supplements she is taking so that she can continue to take them.

There are some high strength vitamins that are only available by prescription but they contain nothing that is not available over the counter.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 822

Sometimes certain facilities, like hospitals, don't like a patient bringing meds and possibly supplements from home for administration. I don't know why, but I think Brainman is correct that you just have to inform the staff that this is part of what she is taking.

Supplements fall outside of FDA parameters, so this could also be why the doctors won't prescribe them. They don't need prescriptions, therefore no doctor's would be prescribing them. I find it odd that a doctor wouldn't be willing to make recommendations though. Every visit to our oncologist required us to bring a bag full of everything my husband was taking so the oncologist could make sure there were no interactions with the chemotherapy. He also would tell us to up or lower certain vitamins. We also ran several supplements past him and he gave us his opinion on whether he thought they'd do any good for my husband.

Good luck and keep being such a wonderful advocate for your Aunt.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 637 Location: UK

We also have the problem that doctors in the UK regard supplementation as something for the individual and as a general rule show no interest in how they can be used. It is a concern as there are undoubted physical needs due to illness, but it is left to the individual to find out what to do. They are only prescribed in limited terms, such as vitamin B for certain skin and nervous conditions or iron for anaemia.

brainman

Vee, it tends to be the same here in the US although there is a growing number of enlightened doctors. Hospital are required to ask their patients about all supplements or vitamins a patient is taking in order to respect that patient's needs and wishes. The hospital where I used to work even has a list of supplements used for different conditions:

http://www.westernbaptist.com/healthcontent/cam/

It is rather extensive although it does not contain some of the things I have seen posted on this site.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Vee Smith · Moderator Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 637 Location: UK

Jim - that is really useful. Thanks!

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