Medication refunds

Re: Medication refunds

Bob Russell — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 11:20:31 GMT

If you are charging properly for medication and not trying to compete with the internet, you should have built in a bit of a buffer for unused medication, waste and returns. Offer a credit for the returned medication as a gesture of goodwill whilst making it clear that the medication will be destroyed FOC!

The client will spend the credit with you, at worst stuff at cost price. Client happy, minimal loss to the practice!

Even better get them to buy on the internet but charge a realistic prescription fee. Let them try to get a reply, let alone a refund from them next time!

Re: Medication refunds

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 08:52:39 GMT

That's because lawyers don't have this silly dislike for charging proper professional rates! (Cross ref to thread on irrational guilt)

What about the next request for a refund.........and the next..............and the next?

Wynne

Re: Medication refunds

Rob Loxley — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 19:25:27 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"] I suppose the safest option would be to ask a lawyer.[/quote]

I suspect the cost might exceed the value of the refund...!

Re: Medication refunds

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:27:44 GMT

I suppose the safest option would be to ask a lawyer.

Wynne

Re: Medication refunds

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:25:15 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"] I think if you did, and the owner complained - you would find when it came to a court action, the law would be on your side. You would have behaved responsibly in ensuring that drugs were not used in an unlawful mannner, and that those surplus to requirements were disposed of properly.[/quote]

But does anyone know for sure?

[quote user="Sammy82"] a box of frontline for a dog that has now died [/quote]

Of course, and I wouldn't object to him passing the Frontline to somebody else either. But what about twenty big amoxy-clav tablets?

Re: Medication refunds

Sammy82 — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:16:14 GMT

Don't forget to wave goodbye to the client as he won't be back.

If the medicine is likly to be useful in the future, e.g. a box of frontline for a dog that has now died but the owner is about to get a new pup it would be unreasonable to take it of him without refund and then sell him a new one a few months down the line.

Re: Medication refunds

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:14:48 GMT

I think if you did, and the owner complained - you would find when it came to a court action, the law would be on your side. You would have behaved responsibly in ensuring that drugs were not used in an unlawful mannner, and that those surplus to requirements were disposed of properly.

Wynne

Re: Medication refunds

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:00:23 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

I would say you are allowed to keep the tablets, and dispose of them - because the owner would be breaking the law if using other than in accordance with veterinary instructions.

Wynne

[/quote]

Yesss....... but am I allowed to act like a policeman and "seize" the drugs? They are his property even if he can't use them for anything except maybe after the manner of Damien Hirst. (Maybe he should. Make a few million quid if he gets the publicity right)

Re: Medication refunds

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:52:31 GMT

I would say you are allowed to keep the tablets, and dispose of them - because the owner would be breaking the law if using other than in accordance with veterinary instructions.

Wynne

Re: Medication refunds

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:47:45 GMT

If someone has handed me the tablets and is standing there waiting for the refund and I tell them I'm going to throw the tablets away and not give a refund and they say in that case they will have the tablets back because they have paid for them even though they chose not to administer them and they might come in handy.............. am I allowed to keep the tablets and throw them away, or must I return them? Does anyone up in the law know for sure? Wynne? Bob?

Re: Medication refunds

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:41:02 GMT

This is another area where a judicious application of common sense combined with a generous dose of client service comes into play above wearing the jobsworth hat!

Lets be honest. We all know that the reason we don't want to take back returned medication that is well in date, has no storage precautions and sealed in its original packaging so it would not have deteriorated unless the client had kept it in the oven is because we don't want to lose the profit from the sale. It is of course very convenient to hide behind VMB rules.

Re: Medication refunds

bob lehner — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:03:53 GMT

If you get any negative response from someone trying to return medicines, just ask them if they themselves would like to be issued with meds for their pet, with no guarantee that they had been properly stored prior to sale, and as such you could not be certain that they remained effective.

Re: Medication refunds

rachaelyost — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:39:34 GMT

Excellent That is the kind of answer I can take to my boss. Thank you

Re: Medication refunds

Nicola Lawlor — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:39:21 GMT

We don't refund on medications though with one exception recently where a dog had an adverse reaction to Advocate. The manufacturer was contacted in this case and sent the clinic a new box of advocate to replace the one we had sold, and we credited the owner for the value of the medication.

Re: Medication refunds

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:34:48 GMT

It is a serious criminal offence to resell medication (Retai lsale of Medicine Act) End of.

Wynne