BAN ON FLU PILLS WINS NELSON SUPPORT

A call from Health Minister Annette King for a report on whether
pseudoephedrine-based products should be banned nationwide is being
supported by Nelson pharmacists.

Wakefield Pharmacy owner Jo Mickleson said she believed most pharmacists
would support a move to ban the drugs, provided there were alternative
medications for people who currently used them.

Mrs King asked for the urgent report this week after a move by Rotorua GPs
and pharmacists to ban all pseudoephedrine products from the city.

Pseudoephedrine-based cold and flu pills are used to make pure
methamphetamine, known as P.

People trying to gather the drug's raw ingredients often break into
pharmacies or go from town to town buying as many pills as possible.

Many pharmacies across the country have already stopped stocking
pseudoephedrine products as a result, but this is the first time a group of
GPs has refused to prescribe them.

Ms Mickleson said stocking pseudoephedrine was becoming more dangerous for
Nelson pharmacies, with an increasing number of break-ins and robberies.

"It would be a shame for sinus sufferers to bear the brunt of the ban," Ms
Mickleson said.

"But if the report came out in favour of a ban I would support it. I do not
want mine or anyone else's kids involved with methamphetamines."

Prices Pharmacy owner Stuart Hebberd said he would also support a ban. The
pharmacy has been hit twice by burglars targeting pseudoephedrine-based
products, in the past two months. Security had been increased, the products
were now kept behind the counter and identification was needed and names
taken for anyone prescribed the drugs.

The Ministry of Health's drug safety agency, Medsafe, has been asked to
prepare a report by mid-January on the advantages and drawbacks of banning
pseudoephedrine products, and what alternative products were available.

Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton was cooler on the idea of a national
ban, saying the Government had already classified pseudoephedrine and
ephedrine as controlled drugs, tightened importation controls and stiffened
penalties for the manufacture of P.

Mr Anderton said the ministerial committee on drug policy would assess
Medsafe's report but the Government would try to avoid inconveniencing the
law-abiding majority of the population.

"We've got to be careful we don't overreact here," he said.

"P is a menace, no question, and the Government is taking it seriously but
there are a number of medicines like pseudoephedrine which are very useful
as remedies.

"If we start making them unsaleable, we're going to create a real rod for
the backs of ordinary people."

As part of its inquiry, Medsafe has been asked to canvass national medical
bodies for their opinions.

New Zealand Medical Association chairwoman Dr Tricia Briscoe said she
supported the Rotorua initiative but there might be other options that were
more suitable nationally.

Victor Klap, chief executive of the Independent Practitioners Association,
said his organisation was consulting its 2000 or so GPs with a view to
extending Rotorua's ban. "Initial feedback supports the approach."