Supply of codeine combination analgesics from Australian pharmacies in the context of voluntary real-time recording and regulatory change: A simulated patient study

Abstract

BackgroundIn recent years there have been growing concerns regarding non-prescription codeine use in Australia. Efforts to mitigate risks associated with non-prescription codeine, such as addiction and toxicity, have been primarily through two initiatives; regulatory changes restricting their availability, and voluntary live-recording supply of non-prescription codeine combination analgesics (CCAs). This study sought to explore the supply of CCAs in the climate of regulatory change. MethodsEighty University of Sydney pharmacy students mystery-shopped 34 community pharmacies across metropolitan Sydney, Australia from August 2016 to November 2017, with scripted symptom-based (SBR) or direct product requests (DPR) for a CCA. Questions asked, staff involvement, regulatory compliance, voluntary recording, and product(s) supplied were recorded. ResultsOf 158 total visits, a non-prescription CCA was supplied in 101 instances. Sixty-one (60%) of these supplies complied with the legislative requirement for a pharmacist to supply the medicine. Voluntary recording was surmised to have been utilised 13 times (13% CCA supplies). CCAs were supplied less frequently in 2017 DPR scenarios compared to 2016 DPR scenarios (64% vs 86%; p = 0.024), and a greater proportion of 2017 DPR supplies were compliant with the legislative requirement of pharmacist supply (72% vs 46%; p = 0.041). No difference in proportion of sales surmised to have been voluntarily recorded was observed between the years. Interactions involving pharmacists resulted in less frequent supply of codeine than those without (58% vs 82%; p = 0.012). ConclusionMandatory legislative regulation of pharmacist supply of non-prescription codeine was more likely to be complied with than voluntary recording. Compliance with pharmacist supply for DPRs appeared to improve following the announcement of regulatory change to prescription-only, whereas voluntary recording of supply did not appear to change.