2024-09-26 05:50:59
The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM), which has been trying for years to control the risks associated with taking opioid medications, which have notably caused a health crisis in the United States, particularly fentanyl, has just taken a radical decision: tramadol and codeine, two opioid medications, will have to be prescribed on a so-called prescription. “secure”, that is to say, unfalsifiable, from December 1st, she announcedThursday September 26.
Tramadol is the main treatment in the opioid family. These are generally used as painkillers, but have a high risk of addiction with significant health risks. Codeine is also an opioid medication used to relieve coughs and mild to moderate pain, which can be addictive when used in high doses and over a long period of time.
These drugs can only be dispensed upon presentation of a prescription. However, to reduce the risk of abuse, drugs containing tramadol or codeine, alone or in combination with other substances (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.) will only be dispensed upon presentation of a secure prescription.
Reduced maximum prescription duration for codeine
This type of prescription must meet criteria to make it tamper-proof: mention of mandatory information pre-printed in blue to identify the prescriber, appearance of a watermark representing a caduceus, presence of micro-letter squares, minimum weight set at 77 g/m2, etc. The dosage, the dose and the duration of the treatment must be written in full. The maximum prescription period for codeine will be reduced to twelve weeks from December 1st. Beyond this, a new prescription will be necessary.
Prescriptions established before December 1 will remain valid until their expiry date.
Since 2017, all medicines containing codeine have been subject to a medical prescription. In 2020, the maximum prescription period for medicines containing tramadol was reduced to twelve weeks. The ANSM has also asked manufacturers to place on the market boxes of tramadol containing fewer tablets, suitable for short-term treatments.
Despite these efforts, various surveys have shown the persistence of cases of abuse, overdoses and dependence, hence the need for new measures. Certain types of medication are already subject to this type of prescription: opioids (such as morphine), psychotropic drugs (certain antidepressants and antipsychotics) or narcotics.
Hundreds of falsified prescriptions
Some 10 million French people had received at least one prescription for opioid painkillers in 2015, according to the latest report drawn up by the ANSM in 2019. In 2022, tramadol abuse led to 14 deaths in France, while codeine abuse led to 6 deaths in the same year.
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