A week ago, the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, signed a decree specifying that it was no longer possible to obtain drugs based on codeine or one of its derivatives (dextromethorphan, ethylmorphine or noscapine) without medical prescription. This order “with immediate effect” followed the death of two adolescents following an overdose of these painkillers.
No more sales possible on the internet
Today, the national agency for the safety of medicines and health products (ANSM) has just published the list of these drugs prescribed for pain or cough, and now only available by prescription.
• Medicines based on codeine or ethylmorphine in syrup form (for cough) are listed on list II : the prescription is renewable unless stated otherwise “not to be renewed” but limited to 12 months.
• Codeine or ethylmorphine-based drugs in a pharmaceutical form other than syrup and dextromethorphan or noscapine-based drugs (regardless of their form) are listed on list I : the prescription is non-renewable unless stated otherwise “to be renewed X times” and can be renewed for up to 12 months.
In addition, the sale of these drugs is no longer possible on pharmacy websites.
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