THE rescheduling of all codeine-containing products as prescription-only medications from 01 Feb 2018 has been associated with a 53% drop in codeine-related presentations at a major Brisbane hospital's toxicology unit, according to research published in the MJA.
A total of 2,235 patients presented to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with poisoning during the 12 months preceding the rescheduling of codeine, and 2,516 during the subsequent 12 months, a 13% increase, wrote the authors, led by toxicologist, Dr Keith Harris.
"However, the number of codeine-related presentations was 53% lower during the second period," they wrote.
"The numbers of presentations involving 30mg codeine products, the status of which was unaffected by rescheduling, were similar for the two periods.
"In contrast, the number of presentations involving codeine products affected by the change (< 30mg) was 85% lower after rescheduling (111 presentations before, 17 presentations after rescheduling).
The decline was not associated with a rise in alternative opioid-related presentations, Harris said.
The authors also found about 90% of the products ingested were paracetamol co-formulations.
"In summary, rescheduling of codeine-containing products was associated with a significant reduction in codeine-related presentations to our clinical toxicology unit without the number of alternative opioid-related presentations increasing."
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