The National Medicines Safety Agency warns pharmacists and prescribing doctors in a context of “prolonging supply tensions”, “as the winter season approaches and during the resumption of the Covid epidemic. -19”.
No more than two boxes per patient at the pharmacy counter without medical prescription: quota since July 2022 in a context of supply tensions, paracetamol will remain difficult to access “as the winter season approaches and during resumption of Covid-19”, jointly announce the ANSM (National Agency for the Safety of Medicines), the College of General Medicine and the pharmacists’ unions.
They invite to “moderate the use of paracetamol” to “allow patients who have an immediate need to be able to benefit from it”.
“Do not stockpile”
No more than two boxes in pharmacies without a prescription, therefore, but also a privileged dispensation on prescription, and a limitation of online sales for pharmacists, invited to discuss with their patients to act on a case-by-case basis.
For prescribers, that is to say essentially treating physicians: “Avoid prescribing paracetamol to your patients who do not have an immediate need for it”, and “when the situation allows it, prefer a dosage of three doses per day every 8 hours instead of four doses per day every 6 hours”.
Patients are also invited to “not build up a stock”.
In July, the ANSM had already alerted to tensions, in a context of high consumption since the start of the Covid crisis. A cyclical situation which combines with a structural problem: the active ingredient of paracetamol is no longer produced in France.