The Royal Pharmaceutical Society welcomed the decision by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency that medicines containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine should retain their status as pharmacy (P) medicines.
President Steve Churton said: "We are delighted at the MHRA's decision to keep cold and flu remedies containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine as pharmacy (P) medicines.
"The decision is a ringing endorsement of the vigilance pharmacists have shown in monitoring and controlling the sale of these products.
"Pharmacists are experts in medicines and experienced in dealing with medicines liable to misuse. The MHRA's decision is great news for consumers and provides a clear signal of faith in the pharmacy profession.
"I urge pharmacists to continue to remain alert to the supply of these medicines so that they continue to keep their P status".
Notes
The MHRA have taken this decision taken following the review by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) of the measures introduced from July 2007 to control the risk of misuse of OTC medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, in the manufacture of the Class A controlled drug methylamphetamine mhra
Source
Royal Pharmaceutical Society