The UK’s community pharmacy trade association (NPA) and the professional and regulatory body for pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales (RPSGB) are to write directly to community pharmacists to ensure all are aware of the potential for ephedrine or pseudoephedrine being used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

To minimize the risk of misuse the organisations have issued the following advice to their members: 

• Ensure all ephedrine and pseudoephedrine containing products are unavailable for self selection.
• All pharmacy staff should be made aware of the potential for misuse associated with products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and should not supply where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting misuse.
• All pharmacy staff should be alert to unusual requests for any items or products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. In particular, requests for inappropriately large quantities or frequent requests of such products should be treated with caution.
• Ensure your self care standard operating procedure or sale of medicines protocol includes appropriate guidance on the sale of these products such as referral to the pharmacist for requests of more than one box or repeat requests of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.

The communication also reminds pharmacists that information and advice is available from the NPA Information Department or Fitness to Practise Advisory Services at RPSGB.

ENDS