A prescription written in Japanese from Japan for antibiotics for UTIs to be used when required. What is the most appropriate course of action?

• A. Advise cannot dispense prescriptions from this country and offer to sell them an alternative non-prescription medication
• B. Supply the antibiotics
• C. Ask for a UK prescription
• D. Refer to local GP

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that antibiotics are prescription-only medicines and can only be dispensed against a valid prescription from a UK-registered prescriber. A prescription written in Japanese from Japan isn’t valid in the UK, so you would not dispense the antibiotic. The appropriate action is to explain to the patient that you cannot dispense foreign prescriptions and to offer non-prescription relief for urinary symptoms while guiding them to obtain a UK prescription from a local GP if antibiotics are needed. This protects patient safety and complies with legal requirements. If symptoms persist or worsen, a GP visit is advised to determine the proper treatment.