Prescriptive medicine
Sir: Dr Linklater complains that he might be expected to prescribe contraceptive sheaths (Letters, June 16), a Job which he feels requires no medical expertise. Yet he could easily put a stop to requests for such' prescriptions by prescribing only one sheath, thus ensuring that the patient will understand that it is cheaper for him to buy from a shop or slot machine. Alternatively, he could simply refuse. Or does he always hand out prescriptions on demand? And why pick on contraception? Does it really require much more Medical skill to write out repeat prescriptions for tranquillisers, anti-depresSants and soporifics? Could it be that the objection of Many physicians to becoming involved in contraception is that they believe it encourages promiscuity? If the GP is trained for six years or More to treat disease, as Dr Linklater says, it must be daunting for him When many patients bring him primarHY psychological and sociological Problems, not medical. To be fair to the GP and his patients we should reform either his training or the public misconception that he is qualified to help with these problems. R. K. Brian
Principal, The Psychotherapy Centre, 67 Upper Berkeley Street, London, WI
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