The Afssaps is distributing five new brochures to be given to the patient to support the direct access to these drugs in pharmacies. Informing and educating patients is an essential condition for the proper use of these drugs, as a relay or support for dialogue with the pharmacist or the doctor.
These medicines are intended to treat common, mild symptoms for a short period of time and without doctor intervention or prescription. They have packaging (dosage, duration of treatment) and an information leaflet adapted to this use. In addition, the decree provides for support for this new measure to the public by providing information documents from the health authorities. The Afssaps is now offering five new brochures “Treat yourself well with drugs available without a prescription” devoted to self-medication management of the following symptoms:
transient diarrhea,
occasional constipation,
nausea and vomiting,
travel sickness,
athlete’s foot (mycosis of the feet).
They complete the series of documents released in October 2008 in pharmacies on pain in adults, cold sores, gastroesophageal reflux disease, allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis. The Afssaps reminds that other documents are also available in pharmacies to regulate the provision of drugs in direct access: – a leaflet “Everything you need to know about drugs in direct access in your pharmacy”, which provides general information on the measurement and recalls 7 golden rules for the correct use of these drugs; – three “memo cards” containing the essential messages concerning the analgesics most used in self-medication: paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin .
