D2: OTC medicines Flashcards
(50 cards)
Classification of medicines
- General Sales Medicines
- Pharmacy Medicines
- Prescription Only Medicines
- Controlled Drugs
Which medicine class symbol does not need to be included on packaging
GSL
GSL (general sales list medicines)
- Displayed on open shelves for self selection by patient - Wide range of medicines - Food and non food - Vitamins and supplements
Pharmacy medicines
May only be sold under the supervision of a
pharmacist
• Usually kept on shelving or in drawers behind
medicines counter
• May be kept in secure display units
• Cannot be on open display for self selection
Prescription only medicines (POM)
Usually found in the Dispensary Normally require a prescription for supply Different forms – Tablet – Capsule – Powder – Liquid – Cream – Ointment – Injection – Infusion – Suppository/pessary
Controlled drugs need to be in…
Safe custody
Where would you store schedule 2 controlled drugs
In a locked, secured cabinet in the dispensary
Controlled drugs
Schedule 2/certain schedule 3 drugs are stored in a LOCKED, controlled drug cabinet, safe, room
- Structural and technical details (design of the cabinet, safe or room must
comply) are detailed in Schedule 2 of the Safe
Custody Regulation
- Controlled drug register entries required for
Schedule 2 drugs
What else would you find in a pharmacy
Complementary + alternatives meds
- herbal
- anthroposophic
- homeopathy
Diagnostic aids
Mobility aids
pharmacy team
Why do people visit a pharmacy
- Collect a prescription
- To get advice
- To buy medicine
Mnemonics
WWHAM Who - is the patient What - are the symptoms How - long Actions? M - medication
Who is the patient
– Person present? – Someone else? – Any special circumstances? Gender Pregnancy/lactation Elderly Very young – General health status/social factors? Do they look ill?
What are the symptoms
Get patient to describe
– Open questions
– Give the patient time to talk
– Follow up
How long
How long have they had the symptoms? • When did they come on? • What was the person doing at the time? • How did they come on? • Are the symptoms always there? • Is it a recurrence of a previous occasion
Actions
What has the patient already done about it?
• Have they taken anything for it?
• What was the outcome?
• Have they seen another HCP about it previously?
Medication
Medicines for this episode of symptoms Concurrent medicines for other conditions • Adverse drug reactions • Drug interactions • Indication of other medical conditions
MHRA changes for codeine + dihydrocodeine
The warning “can cause addiction. For three days use only” must now be
positioned in a prominent clear position on the front of the pack
PIL and packaging need to state
• The indication
• The medicine can cause addiction or overuse headache if used continuously for more
than three days
PIL must also contain information about the warning signs of addiction
MEP 3.2.4 - codeine and dihydrocodeine
Standard labelling particulars of medicinal products
- Name of medicinal product
- Strength and pharmaceutical form of product
- Where appropriate, whether product is intended for adults, children or babies
- Where the product contains up to three active ingredients, the common name of each active substance
- Product’s expiry date (month and year) in clear terms
- Manufacturers batch number
- Method of administration of
product and if necessary, route of administration - Statement of active substances in product expressed qualitatively
and quantitatively per dosage unit or according to form of administration for a given
volume or weight, using their common names - Pharmaceutical form and
contents by weight, by volume or
by number of doses of the
product - A list of…
— a. Excipients when product is injectable or is a topical or eye preparation
— b. In any other case, those excipients known to have a recognised action or effect and included in guidance published pursuant to article 65 of 2001 directive - Where appropriate, space for the prescribed dose to be indicated
- A warning that the product
should be stored out of reach
and sight of children - Any special warnings applicable to product
- Any special storage precautions
- Any special precautions relating to the disposal of unused product, part of product or waste derived and reference to appropriate collection system in place
- Name and address of holder of Market Authorisation Article 126a authorisation or traditional
herbal registration relating to the product and, where applicable, the name of the holder’s representative - The number of the marketing authorisation, Article 126a authorisation or traditional herbal registration for placing the medicinal product on the market
- In the case of a product that is not a Prescription Only Medicine (POM), instructions for use
Legislation in labelling of licensed medicines
Labelling of licensed medicines must contain all elements required by article
54 of Council Directive 2001/83/EEC, HMRs Reg.257 and Schedule 24.
Nevertheless, certain items of information are deemed critical for the safe
use of the medicine, these items are:*
• Name of medicine
• Expression of strength (where relevant)
• Route of administration
• Posology
• Warnings
Where would the legislation in labelling licensed medicines appear on OTC medicines
Over-the-counter medicines
• it is usual for this to appear together on the back of the pack due to differences in pack design
Where would the legislation in labelling licensed medicines appear on medicines available on prescription
For medicines available on prescription
• This information will usually appear together on the front face of the labelling
Name of medicine
• The full name of the medicine should appear on at least three nonopposing
faces of the pack to aid accurate identification of the drug
• Where the common name(s) appears after the brand name, these should be given due prominence.
Strength of medicine
It may be necessary in some cases to express the strength as:
• quantity per unit volume and also as the total quantity per total volume
• Reference to the total quantity per total volume should be highlighted
• Do not add trailing zeros to numbers (2.5mg not 2.50mg)
• Wherever possible use whole numbers
• Express different strengths in the same way e.g. 250mg, 500mg and
1000mg
• Spell out micrograms wherever possible
• On small containers use mcg not μg
Route of administration
- This should be as registered in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) only
- Positive messages should be used; for example
- “give by …”
- only standard abbreviations will be acceptable
- Non-standard routes of administration should be spelt out in full to avoid confusion