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01/04/2019
Prescription Drug Linked To 33 Deaths Reclassified As Illegal
A drug which has been linked to over 30 deaths in Northern Ireland has been made illegal without a prescription.
The changes to Pregabalin, which is used to treat nerve pain, epilepsy and anxiety came into effect today, Monday 01 April.
It comes after the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) highlighted the risks associated with the substance to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the Home Office, which conducted their own investigation and enacted the change.
Deaths in which pregabalin was listed as a cause increased from eight in 2016 to 33 in 2017. The drug is now classified, however, as a class C substance, meaning it is illegal to possess or supply it without a prescription.
Head of Pharmacy at the Health and Social Care Board Joe Brogan welcomed the news, saying: "The reclassification of pregabalin and gabapentin as Class C Controlled drugs is a positive step in tackling the misuse of these potentially dangerous and powerful drugs.
"We recognise the devastating and debilitating impact that drug and alcohol addiction has on the lives of individuals and their families. Over the last 10 years we have seen a significant increase in the numbers of drug related deaths, often as a result of the misuse of a combination of prescription medicines, alcohol and illicit drugs such as heroin.
"Prescription drugs are potential poisons, particularly if they haven't been prescribed for the individual by a qualified clinician, if the wrong dose is taken, if they are mixed with alcohol or other substances, or if they have come through an unregulated supply route and potentially could contain anything."
(JG/CM)
The changes to Pregabalin, which is used to treat nerve pain, epilepsy and anxiety came into effect today, Monday 01 April.
It comes after the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) highlighted the risks associated with the substance to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the Home Office, which conducted their own investigation and enacted the change.
Deaths in which pregabalin was listed as a cause increased from eight in 2016 to 33 in 2017. The drug is now classified, however, as a class C substance, meaning it is illegal to possess or supply it without a prescription.
Head of Pharmacy at the Health and Social Care Board Joe Brogan welcomed the news, saying: "The reclassification of pregabalin and gabapentin as Class C Controlled drugs is a positive step in tackling the misuse of these potentially dangerous and powerful drugs.
"We recognise the devastating and debilitating impact that drug and alcohol addiction has on the lives of individuals and their families. Over the last 10 years we have seen a significant increase in the numbers of drug related deaths, often as a result of the misuse of a combination of prescription medicines, alcohol and illicit drugs such as heroin.
"Prescription drugs are potential poisons, particularly if they haven't been prescribed for the individual by a qualified clinician, if the wrong dose is taken, if they are mixed with alcohol or other substances, or if they have come through an unregulated supply route and potentially could contain anything."
(JG/CM)
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