TGA OTC delay ‘harmful’
December 10, 2015
The recent TGA decision to defer
its verdict (PD 19 Nov) on the up-scheduling
of codeine-containing
OTC medications conflicts with
rising codeine analgesics misuse, its
devastating consequences and the
recognition that opioid misuse is a
public health concern, according to
ScriptWise ceo, Bee Mohamed.
While pharmacy lobby groups
have applauded the move saying it
enables the early implementation
of a real-time monitoring solution,
Mohamed says, “We already have
very real statistics today which
require immediate solutions”.
“Any ongoing review needs to
be conducted sooner rather than
later, and agreement between
medical, pharmacy and patient
support groups must be achieved,”
Mohamed said.
“A coordinated approach is
not only pivotal to preventing
prescription or OTC medication
addiction and overdose, but also
for ensuring treatment options are
made available to patients at-risk of
addiction,” she added.
Given the TGA’s ruling was some
weeks ago, ScriptWise may have
missed the boat on their lobbying.
ScriptWise says it is a not-for-profit
organisation committed
to raising public awareness of
prescription medication addiction.
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