CODEINE-CONTAINING drugs such as Solpadeine and Nurofen Plus will have to be stored out of view in pharmacies under new guidelines which come into effect in August.
Pharmacists will also have to ensure customers know how to use such medicines properly, according to the guidelines published yesterday by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), which regulates the profession.
Codeine medicines such as painkillers and cough bottles must only be supplied under the personal supervision of a pharmacist, who must advise customers that they only be used when considered necessary and for the shortest time possible, the new rules for the profession state.
Patients should be advised of the importance of sticking to the recommended dose and duration of use, and of risks of developing tolerance and dependence. They will also be warned about the potential dangers of combination products – painkillers containing codeine and another drug such as paracetamol or ibuprofen – and advised about potential side-effects such as drowsiness.
Where patients are misusing codeine, pharmacists will have to help them seek medical help, the guidelines state. All advertising of codeine products, including window displays and leaflets, is prohibited.
Figures from the Health Research Board show the numbers seeking treatment for codeine as a main problem drug increased in the past 10 years from 18 in 1998 to 84 in 2008.
PSI registrar and chief executive Dr Ambrose McLoughlin said it was important that the public sought the professional advice of their pharmacist on the most appropriate medicine for their particular symptoms, as well as advice on how to use those medicines safely.
Pharmacists who fail to adhere to the guidelines could be prosecuted in court and also find themselves before a fitness-to-practise committee hearing.
The Pharmaceutical Society says it will have inspectors and “mystery customers” checking to ensure compliance.