INFORMATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
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Healthcare professionals are reminded that omeprazole and pantoprazole have been reclassified from prescription to pharmacist-only medicines.
These medicines can only be supplied as pharmacist-only medicines for short-term, symptomatic relief of reflux-like symptoms in sufferers aged 18 years and over.
The conditions for reclassification of these medicines are as follows:
Omeprazole – in tablets or capsules containing 10 milligrams or less and when sold in packs approved by the Minister or the Director- General of Health for distribution as restricted medicines.
Pantoprazole – in tablets or capsules containing 20 milligrams or less of pantoprazole when sold in a pack approved by the Minister or the Director General of Health for distribution as a restricted medicine.
In response to this reclassification the New Zealand College of Pharmacists has developed training material for pharmacists, in conjunction with the pharmaceutical industry and specialist gastroenterologists. Although training is not mandatory, the New Zealand College of Pharmacists reports that over 1000 pharmacists have completed training so far.
Further information concerning the use of these medicines is available from the Medsafe website on: www.medsafe.govt.nz
Further information on the training material available for health care professionals is available from the New Zealand College of Pharmacists.