- Ibuprofen and paracetamol sales have risen exponentially in the last year
- This comes after the over-the-counter codeine ban introduced on February 1
- Sales for Nurofen rose 45 per cent and panadol 24 per cent, New Daily reports
Ibuprofen and Paracetamol sales have risen exponentially from February 2017-18 since the codeine over-the-counter ban
Nurofen and Panadol have been flying off the shelves after the over-the-counter codeine ban introduced last month.
The over-the-counter codeine ban was introduced by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in a bid to curb drug abuse and addiction.
Yet consumers are concerned of the ban’s impacts one-month on, particularly issues with the retail stocks of alternative painkillers, Nurofen and Panadol, and the increased price of codeine.
One pharmaceutical supplier Chemist Discount Centre told The New Daily that sales for both ibuprofen and paracetamol have risen exponentially since the ban kicked-in from February 1.
Customers bought 45 per cent more Nurofen and 24 per cent more Panadol this February compared to the same month last year,’ according to Chemist Discount Centre.
With the increased demand for codeine-based prescription medications, prices of codeine has reportedly risen.
‘Codeine-based prescription medications had more than doubled in some cases,’ pharmacist Mario Tascone told The New Daily.
| Product | % increase in sales from February 2017-18 |
|---|---|
| Nurofen | 45% |
| Panadol | 24% |
| Advil | 9% |
| Voltaren | 1% |
| Source: Figures based on Chemist Discount Centre sales | |
Many pharmacists said they received ‘hundreds’ of repeating scripts for codeine medications like Panadeine Extra and Nurofen Plus.
Pharmaceutical Society’s Victorian vice-president Jarrod McMaugh told SMH, a pharmacist in Queensland received a script with five repeats for 20 boxes of Mersyndol Forte (containing codeine and paracetamol).
Put simply, the patient could have had access to a whopping 2400 tablets of the drug.
The pharmacist refused to dispense the medication.
Consumers are concerned of the ban’s impacts including the retail stocks of Nurofen and Panadol