Pseudoephedrine cold & flu medicines back on shelves

Associate Health Minister David Seymour. Photo / Michael Craig

Cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine are now back on the shelves, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today.

They can now be purchased over the counter at pharmacies without the need for a prescription, but a consultation with a pharmacist will be required.

Over the counter sales of pseudoephedrine, used to relieve nasal congestion, were banned in 2011 under Sir John Key’s Government as part of a methamphetamine action plan.

The ingredient was common in cold and flu medicines at the time and could be extracted and used to make methamphetamine.

Seymour said safeguards would remain in place to prevent misuse.

“This accessibility will be a real relief to New Zealanders suffering from colds and flu this winter. They will be able to access the same effective cold and flu medicines that are available in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States,” he said.

The rules for bringing pseudoephedrine into New Zealand will not change.

“It will retain its status as a controlled drug and a precursor substance,” Seymour said.

“While restrictions on importing and exporting these medicines are still in place, and New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs are able to seize illicit products.”

In April, a law was passed to lift the ban. Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine:

• Chemists’ Own Day + Night Cold & Flu Relief
• Codral Original Cold & Flu
• Codral Original Day & Night
• Demazin Original Cold + Flu Relief Day + Night
• Noumed Decongestant Tablets
• Noumed Night Time Cold & Flu Relief
• Nurofen Cold & Flu with Decongestant
• Noumed Cold & Flu Relief
• Noumed Day + Night Cold & Flu Relief
• Sudafed Sinus and Nasal Decongestant
• Sudafed Sinus + Pain Relief Day & Night

The law change switched the classification of pseudoephedrine from prescription to restricted (pharmacist-only). This means the medicines can be purchased from New Zealand-registered pharmacists following a consultation.

Earlier this year, Dr Rhys Ponton from the University of Auckland’s School of Pharmacy said the restriction on pseudoephedrine had not reduced the availability or stopped the use of methamphetamine in New Zealand, based on Police and Customs seizures data.

“It is unclear if the return of pseudoephedrine will lead to changes in the criminal supply of methamphetamine. Ten years of the pseudoephedrine ban has disrupted manufacturing processes and networks, with suppliers importing methamphetamine directly from overseas, or importing ephedrine as a precursor for methamphetamine manufacture,” Ponton said.

“A carefully introduced process to monitor and restrict large scale sales of pseudoephedrine should enable a fair balance allowing consumers with congestion to obtain a drug on the rare occasions that they require treatment, whilst identifying and stopping any methamphetamine manufacturing related purchases.”