If a patient does not have an interchangeable product available, what options do they have?

When a patient finds that an interchangeable product is not available, they have the option to take the brand specified on their prescription or to order an interchangeable product. This means the patient is not limited solely to waiting for the pharmacy to restock or to only taking the brand specified on the prescription.

This flexibility allows patients to either receive their medication as prescribed using the brand name, which may be necessary due to personal response to a specific formulation or to avoid any therapeutic discrepancies, or to explore the possibility of obtaining an interchangeable product, which could potentially be covered differently by their insurance or may provide a more accessible option once available.

In practice, patients do not always have to settle for just waiting for restocking if they have a choice available. This option aligns with the allowance for pharmacist discretion and the patient's right to access necessary medications in a fluctuating market of pharmaceutical supplies.