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. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom