Statement No. 148 - Prescribing and Treatment: Self & Family
BACKGROUND
Federal and
provincial legislation have specific provisions requiring that the
subject of a prescription is to be a patient.
Article 11 of
the
Code of Conduct states: "Limit treatment of yourself or members of your immediate family
to minor or emergency services and only when another physician is
not readily available; there should be no fee for such
treatment."
SCOPE
The College
considers the immediate family to be the spouse or domestic
partner, parents, siblings, and children. In using
these terms, the College is not limiting the application of this
Article to traditional family units. The
College will apply this Article of the Code of Conduct to all
circumstances where a physician is a member of an interdependent
family unit, whether that takes the form of a traditional family
unit or otherwise.
OBLIGATIONS
Medical management of a physician or a physician's immediate
family should be conducted by a colleague except where emergency
circumstances prohibit, or the conditions are minor and self
limiting.
A physician must never initiate any pharmacologic management
which is not consistent with the above principle.
A physician must never sign a prescription for oneself or one's
family member even when pharmacologic management is being directed
by a colleague when the pharmacologic product is: a narcotic, a
controlled drug, has psychotropic properties, or is otherwise
habituating or addicting.
A physician must never adjust the dosage or dosing frequency of
prescribed medication for oneself or one’s family
member without the express approval of the colleague who is the
actual treating physician.
First Print L&E 09-94
Revision Exec 04-02
A statement is a formal position of the College with
which members shall comply.