Additional pseudoephedrine controls not necessary
Stricter controls on the availability of products containing ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine are unnecessary, the All Party Parliamentary Group
on Primary Care and Public Health and the All Party Parliamentary Drugs
Misuse Group have concluded.
The two groups launched a joint inquiry after the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency announced proposals to restrict the availability
of such products to reduce the risk of their being using in the manufacture
of the Controlled Drug methylamphetamine (PJ, 10 March, p269). The evidence
they received
suggested, they say, that the harm caused in the UK by the use of methylamphetamine
is low.
“We did not hear from the Association of Chief Police Officers,
the Serious Organised Crime Agency or the MHRA that there is incontrovertible
evidence
of sufficient numbers of cases involving methylamphetamine manufacture
using pseudoephedrine and ephedrine from over-the-counter medicines,” they
say. “We therefore are convinced that stricter controls are unnecessary
at this time.”
This week the Royal Pharmaceutical Society wrote to MPs to voice its
opposition to the reclassification and to draw their attention to some
of the popular products that would have to be reformulated if the reclassification
goes ahead. It also outlined its recommendations on how the potential
for widespread misuse of products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine
could be contained.
Pack sizes could be limited to 720mg (equivalent to 12 x 60mg tablets)
and sales restricted to one pack per customer. The Society recommends
that wholesalers track supplies of products containing ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine and says it would also consider supporting the development
of practice guidance for pharmacists to help prevent the diversion of
stock. Similar restrictions have been suggested by the Company Chemists’ Association
and the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies.
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