Pharmacy Daily | Guild Update – 19 April 16 : Safe use of codeine

THE Pharmacy Guild is currently conducting the national rollout of MedsASSIST - the codeine real-time system that will help pharmacists monitor consumer use of codeine containing products to ensure safe and effective use. Since the MedsASSIST pilot commenced in February in approximately 140 pharmacies in Newcastle, NSW and North Queensland regions, we have collected data on more than 50,000 transactions. The system is demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying patients who may be at risk of developing codeine dependency. It is also demonstrating that the overwhelming majority of consumers are using these products safely. The Guild supports maintaining the Schedule 3 (Pharmacist Only) listing for analgesic medicines containing codeine so the majority of consumers who use these products safely and effectively can continue to have timely access to these products.

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