The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is reviewing the status of pain medication, after concerns regarding the growing non-medical use of codeine-containing medication, reports The Times. The outcome of the review could result in specific pain medication containing codeine being available only to consumers who have a health professional's prescription.
Popular medication available over the counter includes Adco-Dol, Nurofen Plus and Benylin with Codeine cough syrup. But, the report says, the implementation of an up-scheduling status has not yet been confirmed.
Commenting on the move, the largest supplier of codeine-containing medicines in South Africa , Adcock Ingram said: “It is our interpretation that SAHPRA has invited comment from the pharmaceutical industry so that suitable strategies can be implemented to circumvent any need to reschedule codeine-containing products to prescription-only status.”
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-02-21-listen-pain-medicine-with-codeine-could-soon-be-available-only-on-prescription/"]Full report in The Times[/link]