[amaccuish]

In the NHS, that isn't possible. You either take the doctor's treatment, or you get no treatment at all. You can go around, asking different doctors, or having a discussion with your doctor, but you will not be prescribed something you don't need. The incentive being, that with a tax payer funded system, money should go to those who actually need it. It is understood here I guess that the doctor is the expert, not you.

[toomuchtodo]

I can totally appreciate this. As an American though, I have gone around my doctor and ordered prescription medications online when they would not prescribe them (ivermectin, anti-parisital, non-controlled substances, almost zero risk to myself if my diagnosis was inaccurate).

[umvi]

Slightly related, sometimes I just want a new pair of glasses without the hassle of going to/paying the eye doctor. I can still see 20/20 with my current prescription, but since it's "expired", physical retailers won't sell me glasses nor will they use their refractometer to read off the prescription of my current pair. So I instead go online and order a pair from Zenni using my expired prescription that I wrote down.

[toomanybeersies]

That's an interestingly unique problem to the USA I think.

Here in Australia, I haven't been to an optometrist in 5 or 6 years. I just keep ordering new glasses for $60 a pair online, my vision hasn't changed enough that I feel that I need to go to an optometrist again. The optometrist is legally required to give me my prescription, which I can then use as I want.

I haven't bought glasses in a brick and mortar store for 5 or 6 years (last time I got an eye test), but I'm fairly sure they won't/can't refuse to make me a pair to my specifications. Actually, I did get a pair made in the shop in Vietnam 2 years ago, and they were more than happy to make them (overnight too, I might add), although they did laugh at how blind I was.

[cm2012]

Could you email me (in profile) which sites you've used? Would love to pick up non controlled stuff online but the sites are all shady.

[toomuchtodo]

Unfortunately, this was almost 6 years ago, and I don't recall the site I used. My apologies!

[skookumchuck]

> The incentive being, that with a tax payer funded system, money should go to those who actually need it.

The idea that people, absent the profit motive, will work solely to the benefit of society is not correct. They're always selfishly motivated - career advancement, risk aversion, corruption, etc.

For example, if the doctor gets punished for prescribing to junkies, he's going to reduce his risk by avoiding prescribing to legitimate pain patients, just to be on the safe side.

Pray you don't get into a situation where you've got painful, terminal cancer and the doctor won't prescribe opiates because you might get addicted.