The Responsible Pharmacist - Summary of Responses to the Public Consultation
The Department of Health has now published a summary of the responses received to the public consultation on proposals for the content of the Responsible Pharmacist regulations, click here.  In its response to the consultation, Community Pharmacy Scotland expressed its reservations about many of the proposals as set out.  For example, we did not support the proposals around eligibility to be a Responsible Pharmacist, and it is helpfull to see that the Scottish Government has now decided not to bring forward regulations relating to eligibility.  For a number of other areas the Government has indicated that it will consult further.
A copy of our response is also available, click here

Medicines containing Pseudoephedrine and Ephedrine – Advice on the Introduction of New Control Measures

The outcome of the consultation on proposals to restrict the availability of medicines containing Pseudoephedrine and Ephedrine is now known (read more here). MHRA has announced that measures will be put in place as soon as possible to:

• restrict the total amount available per pack
• introduce a limit of one pack per sales transaction
• recommend to the pharmacy profession that personal sale of these OTC medicines by a pharmacist should occur
• run an awareness campaign for the pharmacy profession and other healthcare professionals

The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) will set up an expert working group to advise on the practical aspects of the measures including detailed plans for the implementation of sales tracking of products and pharmacy recording of sales to customers.  Community Pharmacy Scotland will be monitoring the output from this group carefully.

In our response to MLX337, Community Pharmacy Scotland supported the proposal to limit the maximum pack size to 720mg of Pseudoephedrine (12 x 60mg tablets) or 24 x 30mg tablets in a combination pack.  We now want to encourage you to implement immediately the proposed measure to restrict the amount per sales transaction to one pack. 

Here in Scotland we already have a measure of control in place through the Minor Ailment service. Pseudoephedrine is one of the top 10 medicines currently prescribed within MAS, and our recommendation to you is that you restrict your prescribing of this product in line with the proposed measures.

Community Pharmacy Scotland's response to the Consultation Letters... read more here