Painkiller sales worry chemists
By William Birnbauer
September 4, 2003
Pharmacists are concerned that the sales pitch used by supermarkets to sell painkillers could lead to overdosing and other health complications.
Pharmacy Guild state president Bill Scott said yesterday Coles supermarkets awarded consumers 25 bonus Fly Buy points for buying Panadol earlier this year. Other supermarkets had promoted bulk sales of paracetamol products.
"When they are promoting it in a manner that encourages people to buy multiple packs and think that's a good way to behave, we would be strongly against it because these drugs can be dangerous," he said.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia president Jay Hooper said excessive doses of painkillers could be highly toxic, and supermarkets and mass merchandising were not appropriate for their sale.
Pharmacists are also concerned at a recent decision by the National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee to allow the sale from January of the powerful anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen in supermarkets as a general painkiller. The Federal Government committee is taking submissions on the move and is expected to make a final decision next month.
Mr Scott said ibuprofen, now sold in chemists only, could have serious side-effects, including gastric bleeding, and cause problems in people with asthma, kidney and cardiac disease and bleeding disorders.
Mr Hooper said the decision was not in the public interest, and pharmacists were appealing against it.
Coles said yesterday it advertised painkillers in its catalogues, but said Fly Buy points applied only to single purchases. "We do not actively promote bulk or multiple purchases of such items," corporate affairs manager Caroline Lawrey said.
Safeway corporate communications manager Ian Brown said it had price promotions on painkillers but did not encourage two-for-one-type sales.
An investigation by The Age has found no action has been taken to restrict paracetamol products to pharmacies despite experts and inquiries pushing for the move. It was recommended in 1997 by the State Government's suicide prevention taskforce. Last year, a NSW coroner made a similar recommendation. The move is supported by Monash University's Accident Research Centre and the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children's Hospital.
From:
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/03/1062548902890.html
