28 May 2009 - Pharmacists are already responding to the call for greater restrictions on the sale of pseudoephedrine with sales declining by over 20% year on year. This decline is matched by a 41% increase in the sales of the less effective alternative phenylephedrine.

"Data is showing us that sales of pseudoephedrine are declining so it would appear that there is a greater awareness of the need to control sales of this drug," says Pharmacy Guild Chief Executive, Annabel Young. "This points to the real problem of imported precursors coming from China where production and export of the product is uncontrolled."

"We want the public to have access to the best possible medicines and it is generally regarded that alternatives such as phenylephedrine are not as effective as pseudoephedrine in reducing symptoms of cold and flu."

Ms Young says that like many New Zealanders, pharmacists have seen the disastrous effects of methamphetamine users and are sometimes the target of the dangerous behaviour of these individuals.

Pharmacists are committed to social responsibility and are bound by a code of ethics which guides their professional judgement on a daily basis. Pharmacists who choose to stock pseudoephedrine exercise a high level of control over sales and regularly decline.