Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12413
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: news
ASMI disputes MJA articles
Pharmacy Daily 2008 Jan 10
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au/getattachment/10cdd405-5ba0-4a8b-999f-35b74bdfb168/1-10-2008-12-00-00-AM.aspx
Full text:
THE Australian Self Medication Industry said yesterday that a News Limited report claiming
misuse of Nurofen Plus should be “carefully assessed before appropriate action can be
considered.”
An article in the Medical Journal of Australia reported on two cases of perforated ulcers in which
patients were grossly misusing the pain reliever (PD yesterday), taking up to 72 tablets a day.
ASMI scientific director Deon Schoombie said OTC analgesics combined with codeine “have a
long history of safe use when used according to instructions and many thousands of Australians
have benefited from them”.
The industry group agreed that pharmacists need to maintain a high degree of awareness about
people buying large quantities of the medication.
“Any medicine can cause problems when used incorrectly,” a statement said.
Guild President Kos Sclavos said any change to make Nurofen Plus a prescription-only medication
would affect legitimate patients. “We work closely with the police and health groups to
monitor medication misuse and there has not been a spike in the number of people abusing
Nurofen Plus lately, nor have we had any complaints about any pharmacists doing the wrong
thing,” Sclavos said.
MEANWHILE, another MJA report which called for tighter regulation of complementary
medicines has also been criticised by ASMI. The article compared the major differences betweeen the
regulation of complementary weight loss products with those available as registered pharmaceuticals, claiming the regulatory framework for complementary products in
Australia is “fundamentally flawed.”
ASMI disagreed, saying he current listing system is appropriate and urging “better
enforcement” of existing arrangements – particularly in relation to weight loss products.
However PSA president Brian Grogan has supported the MJA conclusions, saying complementary
products should be assessed for efficacy and delisted if their claims can’t be proven.
