34 extra medicines available now in Ireland without prescription
IPU welcomes move to increase availability of medicines through pharmacies without prescription
17 July 2014: The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has welcomed the announcement today that up to 34 medicines previously available on prescription only could now be available from a pharmacist without prescription. Kathy Maher, President of the IPU, said that the move would greatly benefit patients by giving them better access to a wide range of medicines under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist. The IPU, which represents 2,100 community pharmacists across the country, has been calling for this move for a number of years.
Ms Maher was responding to the publication today by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) of a list of active substances used in various medicines which they recommend should be reclassified from prescription-only medicines to over-the-counter medicines.
Welcoming the announcement, Ms Maher said, “This is a landmark move to improving public health. Pharmacies are the most accessible part of the healthcare system and this announcement is a step towards utilising pharmacists’ knowledge and expertise, for the benefit of the patient. This is another step in meeting the Government’s own healthcare strategy of treating patients in a community setting.”
The HPRA list includes medicines for the treatment of migraine, acid-reflux symptoms, hay fever, cold sores, muscle pain and inflammation, fungal skin and nail infections and other inflammatory skin conditions.
A survey carried out earlier this year by Behaviour & Attitudes on behalf of the IPU showed that 70% of people strongly agreed that pharmacists should be able to prescribe some medicines for minor ailments.
“The reclassification of medicines is significant in the self-care agenda in assisting patients to manage their own health and wellbeing with the professional advice of their pharmacist. Broadening the range of medicines available to patients is a step in the right direction to facilitating the effectiveness of self-care and self-medication,” Ms Maher concluded.
