Codeine meds upscheduled
October 2, 2015
THE Therapeutic Goods
Administration has recommended
that all over-the-counter medicines
containing codeine be rescheduled
to become S4 (prescription only).
The Advisory Committee on
Medicines Scheduling is now
seeking submissions on the interim
decision, which can be made up
until 15 Oct.
The controversial decision (online
at www.tga.gov.au) cited issues
including “morbidity, toxicity and
dependence,” with high risks of
medication misadventure and
deliberate misuse/abuse - along
with the “relative lack of efficacy
compared to safer products”.
An implementation date of 01 Jun
2016 has been proposed for the
change, to allow time for education
of consumers, pharmacists and
medical practitioners regarding
pain management and alternative
analgesia available.
The Pharmacy Guild has
expressed concern at the proposal
which would affect “many well
known cough and cold relief
products”.
While acknowledging that
codeine dependence is a real and
growing concern, the Guild believes
the proposed re-scheduling is
likely to create further problems,
including making the medicines
more difficult and expensive to
obtain for the “large majority of
people who use these products
safely and effectively”.
Doctor workloads will increase
along with Medicare and PBS costs,
the Guild warned, suggesting that
a national real-time recording and
reporting system to identify at-risk
consumers is a better solution.
The Australian Self-Medication
Industry said it was extremely
disappointed at the interim
decision, with “no evidence of
misuse of codeine-containing
cough/cold products.”
ASMI ceo Deon Schoombie said
the move also “disregards the
expertise of pharmacists and their
important role in the frontline of
primary care”.
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