Pharmacy on Web

8 October 2009

Prime minister John Key, has announced a ban on selling any pseudoephedrine containing products over the counter in pharmacies. patients will have to visit their general practitioner for a prescription for popular products such as Codral, Sudafed and Coldrex. This drastic measure taken by the government is to try and overhaul the abuse of Methamphetamine or "P".It will take a bit of time to reclassified pseudoephedrine to a class B controlled drug in the Misuse of Drugs Act. Pharmacists will have to deal with a triplicate control drug prescription form similar to medicines such as morphine, methadone and pethidine.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that over 75% of pharmacies have stop selling pseudoephedrine products Over- The-Counter anyway due to problems with break-ins,burgulary,arm hold-ups and the difficulty in administering the sales. Fortunately, alternative cough and cold products which are Pseudoephedrine Free are now available in pharmacies Codral PE, Coldrex PE, Sudfed PE.
The Other positive news is an increased in funding for addiction services:
• $22 million extra for P treatment over the next three years.

• 2700 additional patients to access ‘social detox’ facilities.

• 400 patients to access new long-term rehab beds in residential facilities

• Improving the drug and alcohol helpline, and enhancing online information.

• Families given the power to force addicts into compulsory treatment.