The Pharmacy Guild has criticised a Ministry of Health decision to relax regulations and allow the pain-killing drug ibuprofen to be sold in supermarkets from next month.
Richard Heslop, the president of Pharmacy Guild, which is the national body representing pharmacy owners, said ibuprofen, while mostly safe, had risks.
"Certain people shouldn't take it. It's as simple as that."
Mr Heslop said the decision appeared to be about bringing the availability of ibuprofen, best known as the brand Nurofen, in New Zealand into line with Australia.
"We don't think it's a good decision."
Ministry senior adviser Dr Stewart Jessamine said ibuprofen was available in supermarkets in the United States, Britain and Australia.
"Although the Medicines Classifications Committee did not support ibuprofen becoming available from supermarkets, Medsafe [the drug regulatory body] and an independent expert believed that in this instance the safety profile of low-dose ibuprofen meant it was suitable for sale from shops and supermarkets," he said.
"While the decision to allow ibuprofen to become available from supermarkets was opposed by pharmacists in Australia, no new safety evidence has emerged as a result of their opposition."
But Mr Heslop warned there were risks to ibuprofen for people with stomach ulcers or asthma.
"The main one is Warfarin, which is a blood thinner ... People on that shouldn't take [ibuprofen]. It could cause a haemorrhage, potentially fatal.
"I suppose their thought pattern is [that] it's up to the consumer but it added an extra safeguard to have the pharmacist in there who can say, 'Hey, you shouldn't take that'."
Mr Heslop was critical of allowing the drug in supermarkets despite experts' reservations.
"You have the Medicines Classifications Committee, who are the experts in these things, and they came out and said they thought it should stay how it was with the safeguards there and it has, in effect, been overruled."
Mr Heslop said pharmacists might lose out with people able to buy ibuprofen in supermarkets.
"I'm not personally worried about the loss of business - there will be some - but I'm more worried about the potential for inappropriate usage.
"They obviously will have warnings but it's taking away a level of protection."
Mr Heslop said ibuprofen was not addictive but overuse could cause kidney damage.
- NZPA
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