Medicines containing tramadol or codeine are commonly used in France to treat pain.
- In order to counter their addictive effects, the ANSM is issuing new prescription measures concerning tramadol and codeine.
- “Medications containing tramadol or codeine must be prescribed on a secure prescription from December 1, 2024,” she indicates.
- “We are also aligning the maximum prescription duration of codeine with that of tramadol: these medications cannot be prescribed for more than three months without requiring a new secure prescription,” she adds.
“Tramadol and codeine must be prescribed on a secure prescription from December 1”. In a notice published on its site, the ANSM describes the new conditions necessary for the delivery of these two highly addictive products.
Tramadol and codeine: what are the risks?
“In France,Medications containing tramadol or codeine are indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain and sometimes to treat bothersome dry coughs. Tramadol and codeine may be present in medicines alone or in combination with other substances such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. first reminds the institution.
“Tramadol and codeine are opioid medications. The risks of misuse, dependence, abuse and overdose associated with them are significant. Drug dependence and addictovigilance surveys also show the persistence of cases of presentation of falsified prescriptions for these substances”, she also indicates.
“In order to better secure their use and reduce these risks, medicines containing tramadol or codeine must be prescribed on a secure prescription from December 1, 2024,” she adds. “The prescriber must have written in full the dosage, dosage and duration of treatment. The patient’s first and last name must also appear as well as anti-fraud barcodes”, she explains.
“We are also aligning the maximum prescription duration of codeine with that of tramadol: these medications cannot be prescribed for more than three months without requiring a new secure prescription,” completes the ANSM. “These two measures also concern dihydrocodeine”, she finishes.
Tramadol and codeine: what are the rules of use?
People consuming tramadol or codeine must follow the following rules of use in order to preserve their health and that of their loved ones:
– respect the dosage, the duration of treatment and the interval between doses;
– do not stop treatment abruptly to avoid side effects linked to withdrawal;
– never offer treatment to someone close to you, even if they seem to have symptoms similar to yours;
-sIf a person (child or adult) has ingested tramadol or codeine that was not intended for them, immediately contact a poison control center or emergency service: 15 (Samu), 18 (fire brigade) or 112 (all emergencies) ;
– if a person taking codeine or tramadol is drowsy, call for help, administer naloxone and keep them awake until they are treated.
Opioid crisis: what is happening in France and the United States?
In the United States, nearly 700,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in 25 years – figures that do not include those who turned to hard drugs.
A situation incommensurate with what is happening in France, where legislation notably prevents the advertising of medicines. Nevertheless, health authorities observe a similar evolution: between 2000 and 2017, the country went from 15 to 40 hospitalizations for opioid consumption per million inhabitants, and the number of deaths from overdose more than doubled over the same period. .
