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LISTEN | Pain medicine with codeine could soon be available only on prescription

Pills such as Nurofen Plus and Adco-Dol could be on their way to becoming prescription drugs.
Pills such as Nurofen Plus and Adco-Dol could be on their way to becoming prescription drugs.
Image: 123rf.com/Alexander Raths

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is reviewing the status of pain medication, after concerns regarding the growing non-medical use of codeine-containing medication.

The outcome of the review could result in specific pain medication containing codeine being available only to consumers who have a health professional's prescription. Popular medication available over the counter includes Adco-Dol, Nurofen Plus and Benylin with Codeine cough syrup.

The implementation of an up-scheduling status has not yet been confirmed. SAHPRA's unit head of name and scheduling, Momeena Omarjee, said that based on misuse statistics in SA and globally, SAHPRA would review the scheduling status of codeine. “What we did do is we had a request for information that went out to the industry requesting information on the sales data of codeine-containing products” said Omarjee.

The request for information was released at the beginning of January and a 60-day period was given for comment.

LISTEN:

The largest supplier of codeine-containing medicines in SA, Adcock Ingram, released a statement on January 21 2020 commenting on SAHPRA's proposal regarding the potential up-scheduling of codeine-containing medicines.

“It is our interpretation that SAHPRA has invited comment from the pharmaceutical industry so that suitable strategies can be implemented to circumvent any need to reschedule codeine-containing products to prescription-only status.”

Adcock also stated that where there is a medical need for registered Adcock Ingram products, they should be made available, with the appropriate enforcement of controls.


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