3 Things to Know About Switching Pharmacies

You have moved to a new town and now you need to transfer your prescriptions to a new pharmacy. Or maybe you discovered that a different pharmacy could provide you with significantly better pricing. Or maybe you just want to be able to pick up refills more conveniently on your way to work. There are many reasons why patients want to switch pharmacies or transfer prescriptions. Here are three things you should know to make the change easy and safe.

1. Your new pharmacy handles the transfer

Location, convenience, and cost are just some of the valid reasons why people transfer prescriptions from one pharmacy to another. There is no need to feel awkward about it. Most pharmacies try to make it as easy as possible for their customers.

Your new pharmacy will handle the transfer. Prepare for the change by making sure you have the name of the prescription medication, the prescription number, and your previous pharmacy’s address and phone number. All of that information should be on the prescription label itself. Then your new pharmacy will contact your old one to make the transfer, usually with no additional work on your end.

2. Not all drugs can be transferred without a new prescription from your doctor

There are a handful of drugs that cannot be transferred to a new pharmacy, mostly controlled substances, due to risk of abuse. These include (but are not limited to): Adderall, Concerta, Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin. If the transfer of your medication is regulated, contact your doctor for more information. You may need a new prescription to make the change. Your new pharmacy can also contact your doctor for a new prescription.

3. Organization is important and safety is imperative

It is critical to stay organized as you manage your prescriptions . For your safety, it is very important that each pharmacist you work with has a clear understanding of all the medications you take, including all over-the-counter drugs and herbal supplements. That way, they can help you to avoid any potentially dangerous interactions or side effects.

Trying to find a new pharmacy with a better price for your prescription? Online drug price comparison tools, like the FamilyWize Drug Price Lookup Tool , can make your research a lot easier. Just enter the name of your prescription drug and zip code to learn where you will find the lowest price for your medication(s) at a pharmacy near you. Our price comparison tool also shows you the lowest combined price for multiple searched drugs.

This post is part of our “Ask an Expert” blog series by Ken Majkowski, Pharm.D, the Chief Pharmacy Officer at FamilyWize. Ken brings more than 40 years of healthcare experience to the FamilyWize team, including 14 years of clinical pharmacy experience in retail, hospital, and home care. Read his full bio here .

Sources:

• USA Today, “What You Need To Know Before Switching Pharmacies”
• Pocket Sense Blog, “How to Transfer a Prescription From One Pharmacy to Another”