Anti-codeine voice
November 6, 2015
Pain specialist Dr Michael
Vagg says the current campaign
against up-scheduling OTC codeine
products is a “risk to patients”.
Vagg is a dissenting voice to the
chorus opposing the TGA proposal
to make codeine S4, and yesterday
issued a statement saying “there’s
a scare campaign going on, which
really doesn’t take account of the
facts and drug safety.
“Harm from over the counter
codeine continues and other
countries have made a difference
by making codeine prescription
only....the TGA quite sensibly
decided that the benefits
from having codeine in some
medications is low or non-existent
and the risks sufficiently high
to restrict access by leaving the
decision to doctors in discussion
with their patients,” Vagg added.
He said up-scheduling codeine
would bring Australia into line with
many other developed nations
including the USA, Germany,
Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, Italy,
Hong Kong, Japan and more.
“Pharmacists will be able to
advise on alternative codeine free
products and if someone needs
acute pain relief that needs an
opioid medication, they should be
consulting their GP,” he contended.
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