I was answering someone’s question, and that question suddenly popped in my head. It’s very interesting…click the link below
What do you guys think? At the moment, besides two states, psychologists cannot prescribe medication.
http://www.wjla.com/headlines/0405/22178 9.html
I have many reasons to think "yes" but I don’t want that to affect the responses to this question.
I feel like most people are not reading the link. The link says that these medical psychologists will need ADDITIONAL training. That means that they will learn about neurotransmitters and other topics related to prescription medicine.
No, because they do have the right for recommendations for treatment but do not have the same training nor knowledge of the body (not brain, psych issues) but physical pharmacokinetics. Consider that most psych drugs can effect heart rhythms and folks with certain health conditions and based on lab values for organ function. It’s a medical realm thing, yes psychologists do wonderful meaningful work but didn’t go through med school or advanced practice nursing so would they be able to address the issues that may arise from physical side effects and have the training and knowledge what to look for? What if the lack of medical training knowlege lead to deaths it’s very likely. Not to knock the profession at all they have a very demanding and skilled field but there is a difference in modulatities and focus. Presciption medicine can have wonderful effects on behavior and individuals functions, they can also kill and harm. Even with a specialized medical program that steps into the medical realm the dangers are present do they run regular EKG’s and lab work-ups can they read and interpet them properly? With the massive problems our country has for mental health care 2 states may try this the rest of us with higher populations can watch but a non biased study of patient outcomes needs to be done, patient or client safety comes first.
coffeegirl | Aug 20, 2006
yes certain medication such as depressents i dont see why not….
Cheyenne | Aug 20, 2006
i think they should. after all, they pretty much do the same things a psychiatrist does.
miami*87 | Aug 20, 2006
Don’t know about America but in Europe some Psychologists can prescribe medication to their patents. For example anti depressants tablets
Countessa06 | Aug 20, 2006
No, they are holding a Ph.d. in a unproven science. They’re job is to find other methods, and compile information to prove the science. If you want to perscribe medicine become a Psychiatrist and get an LPC.
Icarus | Aug 20, 2006
It is great that psychologists cannot prescribe medicine. The sole difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is a psychiatrist has a medical degree, so they better understand the full effects (and side effects) of a given medicine, and can better diagnose and treat patients with medicine. Giving anyone without a medical degree the ability to prescribe medicine is a crime!
gaybobbarker | Aug 20, 2006
yes if they have there doctors degree in phsychology
Ash | Aug 20, 2006
Heck no. Psychotherapy is far more effective at bringing about a CURE than any drug. Psychiatrists and MDs are always pushing drugs on people that rarely, if ever, effect a cure. Curing is done through a dynamic process that takes place between the brain and the body. Besides, psychologists don’t have the pharmaceutical training that MDs and psychiatrists have.
Icarus desperately needs to do his homework.
‘Nuff said?
'nuff said? | Aug 20, 2006
They are not physicians. They did not attend medical school. They are not qualified to understand the side affects and interactions of prescription medication. If they want to prescribe drugs…go to medical school and specialize in Psychiatry.
GOSHAWK | Aug 20, 2006
if they qualify by a course in pharmacology yes for meds for mental health problems only
nora7142 at verizon.net | Aug 20, 2006
Sure they should be able to…if they attend medical school.
PsyDocMD | Aug 20, 2006
Two things:
-Having been around clinical psych phd students (I did mine as a neuroscientist), I’d be FRIGHTENED to have them prescribe any drug. They are not prepared for it, most of them don’t have that type of scientific mentality, and some are in there because of their own psych problems.
-The training they have and would receive is insufficient. You need years to understand the effect of drugs and their effect on other drugs. IF they wanted to be pill pushers, they should have done their medical school and become shrinks
-(ok, I said two but I just thought of this one). Drugs are already overprescribed and too easy to access, don’t give medical drug addicts another medium.
sabbat | Aug 20, 2006
NO because they do not have the medical experience to address drug interactions, allergies, adverse reactions, toxicity….
Maybe if their perscriptions are limited to a narrow classification of medications similar to what which is allowable by nurse practioners or physician’s assistants where they are very limited it what they can perscribe and they are under the supervison or have close contact with a medical doctor.
mochi.girl | Aug 21, 2006