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Should OTC codeine products be made prescription-only?

  • 08-07-2020 4:13pm
    #1
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭


    I was listening to Dublin Talks on 98FM and there was a discussion about people who had become addicted to Solpadeine, Nurofen Plus etc...They were calling for them to be made so that you can only get them on prescription.

    Do you think this is a good idea? I'd say no and that most people can use them without issues. It's the same with alcohol, do we ban it/restrict it because a minority became alcoholics (an argument that was actually brought up on the show)?

    In fact, there's a certain percentage of the population that gets no analgesic relief/euphoric relief from codeine as they lack the enzyme CY2PD6 in sufficient amounts. The opposite is true, a minority get too much euphoria and those people might be the ones at the greatest risk for addiction.


Comments

  • #2
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    I was listening to Dublin Talks on 98FM and there was a discussion about people who had become addicted to Solpadeine, Nurofen Plus etc...They were calling for them to be made so that you can only get them on prescription.

    Do you think this is a good idea? I'd say no and that most people can use them without issues. It's the same with alcohol, do we ban it/restrict it because a minority became alcoholics (an argument that was actually brought up on the show)?

    In fact, there's a certain percentage of the population that gets no analgesic relief/euphoric relief from codeine as they lack the enzyme CY2PD6 in sufficient amounts. The opposite is true, a minority get too much euphoria and those people might be the ones at the greatest risk for addiction.

    Interesting question.

    Currently if you want to buy the meds you mention in a pharmacy you have to ask the pharmacist who will need to know why you need them . Even going from pharmacy to pharmacy it would be arduous to support an addiction.

    And there is a difference between addiction and dependency. Which has little to do with euphoria. And a lot to do with relieving pain.

    Can you define both terms? Because you make a false analogy between codeine and alcohol.


  • #3
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Interesting question.

    Currently if you want to buy the meds you mention in a pharmacy you have to ask the pharmacist who will need to know why you need them . Even going from pharmacy to pharmacy it would be arduous to support an addiction.

    To be fair, that's not my experience as is the experience of many people I know addicted to codeine. Bar a few pharmacies, all you have to day is say "I need if for tooth pain/period pain" and they give it to you. A sizeable number of them just ask how many you need and don't question you.

    I've only been denied codeine once out of maybe 50-60 times that I've purchased it.

    And if someone gets denied, they can just go to another pharmacy which are numerous in proximity especially around Dublin from just a few metres walk.


  • #4
    Anita Blow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭Anita Blow


    The extra administrative barrier for purchasing codeine and > 2 packs of paracetamol is because evidence shows that on the whole it substantially reduces abuse of both drugs.


  • #5
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    To be fair, that's not my experience as is the experience of many people I know addicted to codeine. Bar a few pharmacies, all you have to day is say "I need if for tooth pain/period pain" and they give it to you. A sizeable number of them just ask how many you need and don't question you.

    I've only been denied codeine once out of maybe 50-60 times that I've purchased it.

    And if someone gets denied, they can just go to another pharmacy which are numerous in proximity especially around Dublin from just a few metres walk.

    "to be fair" if someone is totally determined to buy codeine as you are then they will manage it somehow; and "to be fair" also if you need codeine that much you need medical help for that degree of pain.

    The rules are there for a reason. For most folk they work and are a safeguard for you and for the pharmacy, . When I was new up here there was a communication problem between my former dr and my new one re my meds and I had to shop around until my prescriptions came through. I was always asked and I was never refused.

    And I have seen a pharmacist quiz someone with toothache etc.

    In the end whether you are an addict or not is your personal choice? So why try to shift responsibility


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