HACK ATTACK

Have a racking cough but nobody cares? Head to the corner pharmacy and tell your troubles to the computer. MedScreen, a new software program, wants to know everything--how long you’ve been suffering and how badly. It asks about other medical problems, present and past. It doesn’t mind if you whine, but please don’t lie about your age.

MedScreen is the brainchild of Sylmar pharmacist Al Brill, 54. It’s designed to find the most effective over-the-counter medicine, reduce the chance of dangerous drug interactions and help you get to know your pharmacist. So far, Brill has placed the program--along with the necessary hardware, two printers and a free-standing display unit--at the Northridge Pharmacy near Cal State Northridge and Griffith Drug in Santa Fe Springs.

Consumer Anthony Strobl, 76, decided to give MedScreen a whirl recently. After choosing and entering his password, he elaborated on his backache. When prompted, he described his medication regimen and his overall health. Within seconds, the computer produced a printout of recommended medicines and the store aisles where they could be found--the pharmacist chooses which medicines, brand-names or generic, are included. The pharmacist also has a separate printer and the program red-flags certain symptoms--such as a recurring cough or, in Strobl’s case, severe pain. Pharmacist Bob Cohen looked over Strobl’s printout to confirm that he was under a doctor’s care.

With several deals in the works, Brill hopes to sell 100 of the $6,000 MedScreens to Southern California pharmacies this year. “Nearly 300,000 drugs are available over the counter,” he says. “Many people don’t have the expertise to make a decision.” And experts predict that the number of over-the-counter medicines will triple by 1998. Just reading all that fine print on the packages can bring on a headache.