IBOPRUFEN IN SUPERMARKETS
In January 2004 there was a media flurry in Australia about a drug called Iboprufen ( an effective non steroidal antiinflammatory drug ( NSAID) which is marketed under several names in Australia and reports of the American FDA mounting a campaign about risks associated with it. I was rather irritated to see this story appear the way it did as I think this particular medication has consequently attracted undue adverse publicity when the issue is a wider one.
Ibuprofen and its other NSAID cousins like Naproxen sodium are effective medications for treating various inflammatory disorders. They have been in common usage for many many years, but until recently were only available in pharmacies and not too long before that was only available on prescription from a doctorin this country . In January this year Ibuprofen became the only NSAID to be available in supermarkets.
NSAID have a side effect profile which is well documented and indeed, so far as I can see, is clearly stated both on the packet and on the information sheet inside the box.
My colleagues at the AMA made a strong statement last Thursday 20th January that Ibuprofen has risks associated with it that make it inappropriate for it to be sold in supermarkets. I have a copy of their media alert which clearly names one particular drug.
While I agree that drug side effects need to be clearly written on parckaging and that people MUST be aware before taking the medication . I believe this is already the case here. Also surely this applies to anything we ingest .
Not only this but I am disappointed that it could be construed that the AMA might be implying that people should not have free access to this very effective treatment for migraine and period pain when doctors surgeries and pharmacies are not open all hours but supermarkets generally are. Anyone who has had a migraine or period pain late at night and knows this medication works but is unable to access it would agree with me !
The whole issue comes back to education and people taking responsibility for our own bodies. It IS your responsibility to READ the warnings before ingesting anything. If you cant read or find it too complicated then dont purchase the product from a supermarket - get it from your chemist - or ask your doctor to explain.
for the record -( and to put it straight ) .....
click HERE to visit the TGA and read the statement of their medical director on the issue from 29th Jan . The TGA was reported as being content with current labelling standards - click HERE to read an ABC report.
click HERE to read the FDA news letter on this topic. I believe that their campaign was directed at pain and fever medication labelling in general and not specifically at Ibuprofen. Also that is America ....we have our own regulatory body and the TGA was quoted in last week's newspapers as being happy with the current labelling in our country.
click HERE to read the indications, side effect and risk profile of ibuprofen - this is the particular brand cited by the AMA - I do not endorse any particular brand of Ibuprofen and have only linked to this one because it was mentioned by name by the AMA.
click HERE to read the AMA stance ( ps I note this release was dated 30 Jan - ie the following day after the AMA's original comments were made ......) It is interesting that Dr Glasson told people not to panic but talk to their doctor about whether the drug is appropriate for them. I hesitate to point out that since this drug has only been available in supermarkets since January 1 ....the implication that Dr Glasson is making that people may be on the drug but ignorant of risks has nothing to do with the supermarkets and unfortunately could be a rather poor reflection on my medical and pharmacy colleagues .......
I reiterate that I agree with the notion that medications need to be properly labelled and that people need to be educated about the risks associated and moreover that people need to take responsibility for what they choose to ingest. I just think that this particular example is NOT the right one.
In my opinion it is long overdue that NSAIDS be made available in supermarkets.
I would, however, like to see a warning on the shelves where the pain relief medications are kept reminding people to read the labels and assess the risks before purchase. Having seen the warnings on the packets I am not sure how much more obvious they can be.
By the way .....Aspirin can cause gastric bleeding, blood thinning, and precipitate an asthma attack in some people. Paracetomol can be deadly of taken in huge quantities. ......Why did the AMA single out Ibuprofen ?