No over-the-counter codeine within days
THE Therapeutic Goods Administration is considering banning GPs from prescribing strong painkillers to combat the growing opioid overdose epidemic.
The TGA proposal would bar doctors from prescribing painkillers such as morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl and pethidine.
It would mean people needing these strong opioids would have to consult specialists in order to get a prescription.
The move is one of several options to combat the growing opioid problem.
The TGA said that since the end of 2009, there had been a general increase in prescriptions for these drugs from about 10 million annually to 14 million.
The news comes after the TGA is already moving to restrict access to some painkillers.
From Thursday, products such as Nurofen Plus, Panadeine, Mersyndol and Codral will no longer be available over the counter.
The changes will see codeine products “up-scheduled”, meaning people who use the products for health issues like back pain, migraines, period pain, dental pain or cold and flu will have to go to the doctor to get access to them.
The Australian Pharmacy Guild has opposed the idea, saying a system is already in place that detects customers who may be abusing the drug.
The guild said the move would lead to an increase in ‘doctor-shopping’.
Instead they have suggested that pharmacists continue to dispense the drugs but under strict conditions and restrictions.
These would include the medication could be used for acute, rather than chronic pain, and be sold in very small quantities, and their supply would be marked in a real-time recording system.
“Under our plan, codeine will still go prescription only, but there will be exceptions which would allow pharmacists to supply,” the guild’s national president George Tambassis said.
The guild said a system in place in many pharmacies for almost two years had already seen a drop in use. This system detected those who might be abusing codeine better than doctor’s surgeries and medical centres.