Meds not convenience commodities

CALLS to up-schedule paracetamol to Pharmacist-Only are being supported by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, in the wake of a study showing a 44.3% increase in hospitalisations between 2007/08 and 2016/17.

Research published in the MJA flagged concerns over the accessibility of paracetamol with the NSW Poisons Information Centre reporting a 77% increase in the number of intentional overdoses between 2004 and 2017.

Guild Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, said the data highlighted the need for “a review and careful consideration whether paracetamol can continue to be sold from non-pharmacy outlets for the sake of public safety”.

“If paracetamol is to continue to be available from non-pharmacies at the very least there should be a limit to how much can be purchased,” he said.

“Despite there being a limit to the pack size there is no limit to how many packets can be purchased from a supermarket or convenience store due to the lack of professional oversight in these environments.

“Pharmacy owners being pharmacists have a professional duty and obligation to our patients through our registration – and our pharmacies should ensure that medicines are promoted and offered in a way that is consistent with quality use of medicines.

“Medicines are not normal items of commerce, and our scheduling system that allows for varying levels of safeguards and access recognises this.”

University of Sydney Dean of Pharmacy, Professor Andrew McLachlan, also questioned whether current unrestricted sale of 20-tablet packs in supermarkets and convenience stores was appropriate, MJA Insight+ reported.

“[However], the data internationally point to the fact that if you have smaller pack sizes, then the opportunity for people to self-harm using paracetamol starts to be substantially reduced and … that alone provides merit for the regulators to consider where those packets are unrestricted, outside of a pharmacy,” he said.

However, he also raised concerns over the profession’s stewardship of the drug noting discount pharmacy groups have been selling large packs of paracetamol as “loss leaders”, adding “they should not be promoted that way”.

Tassone told Pharmacy Daily that pharmacy owners needed to ensure patients accessed paracetamol appropriately.

“It is essential that pharmacy proprietors and our staff continue to uphold the intent of this system to ensure safe access to medicines where appropriate for benefit of patient care.”

Consumer Healthcare Products Australia voiced its support for retaining the current scheduling for paracetamol.