Pharmacy Daily | Guild “wrong” on codeine

FALLING codeine sales is evidence that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) was right to upschedule the medications to prescription-only, the Australian Medical Association claims.

AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone, said sales data showing a 50% reduction in the use of codeine-based products in the 12 months after the molecule was upscheduled, from an average of 34.7 million packs over the four previous years to 17.1 million (PD 26 Apr), justified the decision.

"The TGA and the Federal Government held firm in the face of great pressure from the pharmacy lobby groups, particularly the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, which launched a prolonged and very strong multi-state offensive against this change," Dr Bartone said.

"The pharmacy lobby also claimed that up-scheduling would lead to doctor-shopping, and patients switching from low-dose to high-dose codeine medicines.

"However, the TGA analysis shows that the increase in the supply of high-strength 30mg codeine between February and December 2018 was not statistically significant.

"These reforms have always been about reducing the level of codeine in the community, not about switching the source of the supply of codeine," he said.

Dr Bartone said low-dose codeine products were among Australia's most commonly misused medicines, despite there being little to support their use.

"The evidence shows that low-dose codeine provides little benefit beyond placebo for short-term pain, and it is not a safe treatment for long-term or chronic pain."

"Studies showed that thousands of Australians were using codeine inappropriately and putting themselves at risk of addiction, organ damage, and other health problems," Dr Bartone said.

"The AMA strongly supported the decision by the TGA, as the independent regulator, to act in the interests of patient safety, and up-schedule codeine products."