Rescheduling of codeine

As of the 1^st of February 2018, all medicines containing codeine will no longer be available without a prescription.

Codeine is used to provide relief from a number of conditions, including:

• Mild to moderate pain
• Severe pain (when combined with aspirin or paracetamol)
• Dry irritating cough
• Diarrhoea
• Cold and flu (when combined with antihistamines and decongestants)

The decision to reschedule codeine was made after public consultation indicated that many consumers used these products to self-treat chronic pain. Low dose codeine-based medicines are not intended to treat long-term conditions. Regular long-term use can result in overuse and dependence, which is an increasing problem in Australia. The United States, Germany and Japan have already restricted over the counter sales of codeine-based medications.

Some of the products that will be affected include:

• Combination analgesics such as Panadeine®, Nurofen Plus®, Mersyndol® and generic pharmacy pain relief products.
• Codeine-containing cough, cold and flu products such as Codral®, Demazin® and generic pharmacy cough, cold and flu medicines.

If you are concerned about your own or a friend’s use of codeine and the rescheduling of codeine to prescription only, there is confidential help available.

• Talk with your doctor or other health professionals
• Call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) in your state or territory

Further information

• Codeine facts – DrugInfo
• Codeine Information Hub – Therapeutic Goods Administration
• Codeine rescheduling FAQ – NPS Medicinewise
• Codeine: Community toolkit – Scriptwise