Talking to Patients About Drugs

Your patient comes in and during her history she reveals that she is taking several drugs for several different conditions. You know enough about physiology and chemistry to know that there are some potential adverse interactions going on as a result of all these drugs. What do you do?

Some would say: “I would give her some literature to read about all the side effects and how they might be causing her symptoms” and others might say: “We’re not Doctors of Medicine so why would I say anything” or “My job is to analyze and correct subluxations, not give advice about what drugs they should or should not be taking”. 

In fact there are probably as many responses to this as there are chiropractors.   

But let’s cut to the chase, which is three years later and you are being deposed by your now ex-patient’s attorney. Do you want to have to answer questions related to your scope of practice and whether or not you are trained and legally authorized to prescribe, administer or otherwise advise patients regarding prescription drugs?

The answer is of course “no” and you don’t want to sit through the pain of the hour long questioning on this. If you are concerned that your patient is experiencing side effects from the drugs they are taking then tell them to go see the provider who prescribed them, make a note in your file that you did so and focus on what you do best and what you are legally allowed to do.