Pharmac's decision to switch its funding for pain relief from Panadol to Pacimol has caused considerable problems and increased the total cost of oral paracetamols, say hospital pharmacists.
Some patients had choked on the new pain relief pills and were bringing in their own tablets which they could swallow, pharmacists say.
Canterburyhospitals started using a new type of paracetamol called Pacimol last November, after Pharmac stopped subsidising Panadol.
A report from Christchurch Hospital pharmacists said the switch to Pacimol had caused "nothing but problems", and had increased the total cost of oral paracetamols.
Pacimol is the only Pharmac-subsidised paracetamol available in New Zealand.
The report said it dissolved in patients' mouths and many had had difficulty swallowing the pills. Patients had also reported an unpleasant taste from Pacimol which had caused them to cough and gag.
Some patients had even asked relatives to buy or bring in their own brand of paracetamol.
"Other patients have been switched to another [more expensive] paracetamol formulation [capsules or liquid] on the ward," the report said.
"Clinically the effect has been that the control of pain and fever in our patients is potentially compromised."
Christchurch Hospital pharmacy services manager Paul Barrett said the Christchurch District Hospital Board was now spending more on paracetamol than it had before using Pacimol.
In the first three months of the year, the health board had spent $12,425 on oral paracetamol compared with $8068 for the same period last year.
The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring has received 80 complaints about Pacimol from doctors and pharmacy staff around the country since its introduction.
Centre director Dr Michael Tatley said that unlike Panadol, Pacimol did not have a film coating, which made it more difficult to swallow.
Pharmac medical director Peter Moodie said the problems with Pacimol affected only a small number of patients.
"I am aware there have been complaints from some people who say it is difficult to swallow," he said.
"But for the vast majority of people this is not an issue."
