Subj : Pseudoephedrine cold and flu products back on shelves this winter To : All From : News Date : Fri Apr 12 2024 11:31 am Medicines containing pseudoephedrine are set to be back on shelves this winter, Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced. He said in a statement this morning that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to provide the first products in June. "This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised that New Zealanders want these medicines for winter, and we've done our part in achieving this by changing the law swiftly and overseeing a fast approval process by Medsafe. "The only step left is for pharmaceutical companies to get the medicines to our shores, which they've indicated they can do by winter," Seymour said. Seymour said the accessibility to the medicine will be a relief for Kiwis. "They will be able to access the same effective cold and flu medicines that are available in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States." The Misuse of Drugs (Pseudoephedrine) Amendment Bill passed its final reading unanimously in the House this week. The bill reclassifies pseudoephedrine from a Class B to a Class C controlled drug. Along with changes to the Medicines Regulations 1984, it means Kiwis will be able to purchase cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine from a pharmacy without a prescription. The drug has been a prescription-only medication since 2011. It's a key precursor ingredient in the manufacture of methamphetamine. "New Zealanders have been denied decent cold and flu medication for years because of a misguided ban caused by fears it would be used for methamphetamine production. The reality is that the gangs have far more effective ways of obtaining pseudoephedrine to manufacture methamphetamine and we should tackle these head on instead," Seymour said. "Safeguards will remain in place to prevent misuse. It will retain its status as a controlled drug and a precursor substance. "While restrictions on importing and exporting these medicines are still in place, and New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs are able to seize illicit products." While the public will be able to purchase the medicines from a pharmacist without a prescription, they'll only be able to buy these them after consultation with a New Zealand-registered pharmacist. The pharmacist will have to record information, including the person's name and address, and can give advice, including to people who should not take pseudoephedrine for clinical reasons. Earlier this year some pharmacists told 1News they were fearful their stores would become targets if pseudoephedrine products became more widespread. "If it becomes harmful and becomes a health and safety issue where my staff are being harassed all the time, I probably will have to make a hard decision not to stock this product," Mangawhai pharmacist Lanny Wong said. Seymour said at the time he had received "a long list" of advice regarding the drug, describing "all the possible things that could happen". "There have been some risks raised that there has been crime related to it in the past, but the benefits are enormous." --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A44 2020/02/04 (Windows/64) * Origin: S.W.A.T.S BBS Telnet swatsbbs.ddns.net:2323 (63:10/102) .