Pubdate: Thu, 18 Dec 2003
Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2003 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dompost.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550
Author: Tracy Watkins
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

DRUGS CRACKDOWN CATCHES FLU REMEDIES

Pharmacists have sounded the alarm over some across-the-counter cold and 
flu remedies being caught up inadvertently in a crackdown on the drug P. 
Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton met industry representatives this 
week after it was discovered that tougher rules for ephedrine and 
pseudoephedrine meant slow release cough and flu remedies could not be sold 
without a prescription.

A select committee was told this week that the affected medicines included 
Sudafed 12 and 24-hour remedies, Clarinase 12-hour and Demazin. The changes 
would deny people access to cold medications that had been used safely for 
years, ACT MP Heather Roy said yesterday.

"The select committee was told that only pharmacists - not pharmacy 
assistants - could sell these products to the public and slow release 
products would be available only by prescription," she said.

Mr Anderton's office said the minister was aware of the issue and it had 
not been intended to restrict access to remedies by genuine users. The 
industry's concerns would be taken into account when the final regulations 
were drafted.

The Government announced this month that Customs would have wider powers to 
investigate importation syndicates and that penalties would be increased to 
crack down on an explosion in the importation of pseudoephedrine and 
ephedrine, which are used to manufacture the drug P. Both substances are 
classified as pharmacy-only medicines in lower doses and as a prescription 
medicine in higher doses.

Stricter controls against the supply and use of the substances are also 
being introduced and a licence will be required to import, export or deal 
in them.

In its submission on the changes, the drug company Pfizer warned that a new 
requirement to label pseudoephedrine cold remedies a "controlled drug" 
would encourage their misuse.

"The label would clearly identify to abusers the entire range of 
pseudoephedrine products available to them."

But legitimate users might be "unnecessarily alarmed" about the potential 
for addiction and side effects, it said.
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