The pharmacy owners’ industry body has clocked a win in its bid to water down impending new rules for OTC codeine, after state and territory health ministers called on the federal government to review the TGA’s decision citing concerns it could leave people living in the bush without access to ‘appropriate pain relief’.
The move to make OTC codeine products prescription-only (s4) from February 2018 was announced in December, after the TGA found little evidence low-dose codeine is more effective than alternative analgesics for most people.
The Pharmacy Guild has been railing against it ever since, lobbying state and territory governments to amend their own laws to create an exemption that would allow people in “certain circumstances” – such as those in acute pain who can’t access medical services – to continue to buy it from a pharmacy without a script.
The AMA has branded the lobbying an “unprincipled” and “sneaky” attempt to undermine an independent regulator.
But it appears to have paid off.
On Thursday, a letter co-signed by state and territory health ministers was sent to federal health minister Greg Hunt outlining their concerns about the TGA’s decision and asking him to review the situation.
The letter was signed by all except SA’s health minister Peter Malinauskas, a spokeswoman for NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told the limbic.
“The ministers’ letter highlights the difficulties presented by the decision in relation to rural/regional residents who may not have ready access to a GP and who may have urgent need for appropriate pain relief,” the spokeswoman said.
“All the ministers are supportive of measures to limit the inappropriate usage of codeine but are looking for the Federal Minister to review the regulatory regime to ensure equitable access across the country”.