Panadeine, Nurofen Plus and other medicines containing codeine should be banned from over-the-counter sales, say top pain medicine experts.
![People have been becoming addicted to codeine-based medication.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/5P6WKFNTHPYQS37EJD3AUGOTUI.jpg?auth=822b257ee7f9385e2e55e060ab9f174393ea927ef45d131389f0502e7ed3da6b&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
They say that painkillers containing codeine are ineffective, highly addictive and harmful and should only be supplied with a doctor's prescription.
The Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) wants the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to reclassify the products so they are prescription-only.
May 7 is the cut-off date for submissions to the TGA on the proposal.