New cold medicine rules may give pharmacists a headache

Yolandé Hayward HERALD REPORTER

THE rescheduling of certain medicines to prevent their use in tik manufacturing is set to cause headaches for pharmacists, manufacturers and patients, industry role players say.

In April, the Medicines Control Council (MCC) rescheduled medicines containing ephedrine, pseudo ephedrine and d-nor-pseudo ephedrine, to control the availability of this drug.

Department of health spokesman Charity Bhengu said these components were commonly used in the manufacturing of tik or methamphetamine.

The medicines containing these components are mostly slimming products and are also commonly used in combination with analgesics for the management of coughs and colds.

After careful consideration by the MCC and input from industry, it was decided to change all products containing only these components from schedule two to schedule six medicines.

According to local pharmacists this means that the products are now only available on prescription, whereas before patients were able to buy the medicines over the counter.

Most pharmacists believe that the new regulations will have the desired effect on tik manufacturing, but foresee a couple of problems.

According to Linton Grange pharmacist Kobus de Swardt patients who need the medicines now not only have to pay for the products, but also the doctor‘s consultation fee in order to obtain a prescription.

De Swardt said the rescheduling has caused an administrative nightmare for pharmacists. Each time a pharmacist sells these products it has to be captured in a schedule six register.

Owner of Cots Glen Pharmacy in Fernglen Rodney Griffiths also supports the MCC‘s decision, but adds that it will negatively impact manufacturers of these products. “The rescheduling will bring about a drop in sales of the products and therefore negatively impact the financial situation of the manufacturers.”