Painkillers only in small packs

Pack size in painkillers should be significantly reduced

06/26/2012

The size of the analgesic packs should be significantly reduced in the future, according to the current decision of an independent expert committee at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). If the decision is confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Health, patients in the pharmacy will in future only receive small packs of prescription painkillers.

For many Germans, analgesics, despite the health risks of frequent use, an integral part of the medicine cabinet and the purchase of painkillers in stock is quite common practice. However, according to the decision of the competent committee at the BfArM, this should be over in the future. Due to the risk of side effects, a restriction of over-the-counter painkillers to small packs is recommended. After all, painkillers can even be deadly.

Limit the size of over-the-counter analgesics
According to the decision of the Committee of Experts at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, there should be a limitation on the size of packs for over-the-counter painkillers based on the active substances acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen. Because the careless handling of the medicines could lead to considerable health impairments. The free sale should therefore be restricted or limited to small packaging, the BfArM Committee for Prescription Committee on Experts demanded. The Federal Ministry of Health, as the responsible final decision-making body, has announced that it will thoroughly examine the recommendation of the committee. Although the experts are not yet agreed on the exact size should have the painkiller packs that can be purchased without a prescription. As a guide, however, a package size for a maximum therapy duration of four days was suggested by the panel of experts. All larger painkiller packs should therefore be prescription. The recommendation of the Committee of Experts on Prescription Requirement now issued to the BfArM is considered an important step after a tough struggle over the details of a possible decision in recent months.

Threatening side effects with analgesics
The president of the BfArM, Walter Schwerdtfeger, welcomed the vote of the expert committee and emphasized: For the BfArM „As a monitoring authority, there is no question that excessive use of analgesics in individual cases can have serious health consequences. "For example, the dangerous painkillers can cause long-term damage to the gastric mucosa and cause gastrointestinal bleeding, but many patients are not satisfied with the potential side effects It is therefore important to limit the size of packs „Step for more information and patient safety.“ However, it remains unclear whether the Ministry of Health will follow the assessments of the Committee of Experts and the BfArM President. Also, the problem of frivolous or excessive taking of painkillers with the current decision by no means out of the world, especially since the patients can theoretically easily equip with a variety of smaller packs in different pharmacies. (Fp)

Read about painkillers:
Dangerous painkillers aspirin & paracetamol
Pain medications can be fatal if ingested
Painkillers cause rising costs
Pain medication as a cause of pain?
Non-prescription medicines by no means harmless
Home remedies for headaches

Picture: Andrea Damm