MHRA reclassifies Schering Health Care, Pfizer and Novartis drugs

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reclassified a number of medicines to make them easier for people to obtain.

Among the list is Schering Health Care’s emergency contraceptive Levonorgestrel which has been re-graded from a prescription only medicine (POM) to a pharmacy (P) medicine with an increase of a maximum strength from 0.75 mg to 1.5mg.

This change follows the approval of a marketing authorisation putting into place the recommendations of WHO on emergency hormonal contraception that a single dose of 1.5mg levonorgestrel should be used for emergency contraception, over the previously used regimen of two doses of 0.75mg.

Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops have also been switched from POM to P.

The list of drugs being switched from P to general sale list (GSL) includes products from UCB Pharma, Novartis and Pfizer.

UCB Pharma’s Cetirizine will now have a lower age limit of 6 years for the tablet form, bringing it into line with liquid preparations.

Novartis’ Voltarol emulgel (Diclofenac diethylammonium) may now be supplied GSL for the symptomatic relief of pain and inflammation associated with trauma of the muscles, joints and ligaments (for example, sprains, strains and bruises), and with localised forms of soft tissue rheumatism.

The company’s antifungal medicine terbinafine hydrochloride will also now by available for general sale as a spray.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s hay fever treatment acrivastine will now be available in 8mg capsules for people from the age of 12 to 65.

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