Doctors or pharmacists?

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Complement each other, not fight. This is the advice given by Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai to doctors and pharmacists who have been arguing over the right to dispense medicines.
"We are talking about two professional bodies. They should complement each other and not be competing with each other."
He said it could not be denied that both were specialised in their respective fields of work.
Right now, Liow said, the system was such that doctors handled all the functions.
On the issue of separation of duties in the dispensing of medicine, he said: "I had a meeting with the Malaysian Medical Council last week and I will be meeting representatives from the Malaysian Medical Association tomorrow. I will meet representatives from the pharmaceutical industry next week."
Liow said he would decide on the matter after the meetings.
For almost 20 years, pharmacists have been fighting for the return of their right to dispense medications but have been unsuccessful for various reasons.
The ministry had planned to conduct a pilot project on the separation of functions between clinics and pharmacies in selected major towns before implementing it nationwide.
However, even before the pilot project could kick off, there have been protests by doctors.