THE INTRODUCTION of stricter limits on the amount of codeine-based painkillers available to buy at chemists could lead to a significant decrease in the sale of such medicines, research has shown.
The results of a pilot study, carried out by Boots at its Grafton Street store, suggests that closer supervision of the sales of medicines containing the opium-based drug could lead to reduced levels of codeine abuse.
A number of organisations, including the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) and the Irish Medicines Boards (IMB), have previously voiced concern about the sale of codeine-based painkillers such as Solpadeine and Nurofen Plus which are available to buy at pharmacies without a prescription.
Although such products are effective at relieving the symptoms of headaches and other pains, they can be addictive. Their prolonged use can also lead to so-called “rebound headaches” where rather than providing relief they can be the cause of pain.
In addition, excessive use of some types of pain medication may cause stomach ulcers, liver damage and kidney problems.
As part of a plan to introduce additional safeguards for codeine-containing products in October 2008, Boots decided to limit sales of such products to 24 tablets per transaction at its Grafton Street store and to advise customers against taking them for more than three days continuously.
In addition, customers were given information on codeine-containing medicines and asked to sign a register to ensure they understood the potential side effects.
After just two weeks of the trial, the weekly sales of these products had fallen by over 12 per cent, with significant increases in the sales of alternative, less-harmful painkillers. Three months later, sales had continued to decrease to the extent that the initiative was implemented on a permanent basis.
Kate O’Flaherty of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the statutory body which regulates the pharmacy profession, said it was currently examining the issues around the supply of medicines containing codeine with a view to issuing more specific guidance in the coming months.
