PRESS RELEASE:

Survey of General Practitioners reveals most support new restrictions on pseudoephedrine-based medicines, although support for the phenylephrine alternative is divided. Almost all believe the new restrictions will deter honest patients.

SURVEY DETAILS

Between October 9th and 12th 2009 the independent market research company Synovate surveyed 168 General Practitioners throughout New Zealand, asking them about the recent changes to the prescription status of pseudoephedrine-based medicines.

The survey was conducted online, with respondents drawn from Synovate’s ‘HealthTracker’ panel of over 800 New Zealand General Practitioners. The panel is New Zealand’s most representative commercial research panel of General Practitioners, being repeatedly used by both public-sector and private clients alike.

KEY INSIGHTS

GPs support making pseudoephedrine a prescription-only drug

A doctor's prescription will soon be necessary to obtain cold and flu medicines containing the drug pseudoephedrine.

General Practitioners are clearly in support of this change, with 73% saying they supported this change and only 22% not supporting it (5% answered ‘don’t know’). Health Sector researcher Jonathan Dodd notes that many GPs contacted him to add further support: “I had one GP commenting that it’s about time pseudoephedrine was more tightly regulated, and asking what on earth took so long. Another noted that in the Gisborne area the pharmacists and local GPs have long agreed not to stock nor prescribe pseudoephedrine, with no negative feedback that he is aware of.”

GPs overwhelmingly believe the need to use hospital pharmacies will deter patients from getting pseudoephedrine prescriptions filled, especially in rural areas.

95% of General Practitioners believe that the need to pick up prescriptions for pseudoephedrine from hospital pharmacies will deter honest patients from picking up pseudoephedrine-based prescriptions for cold and flu medicines: 49% said it would deter ‘most’ patients and a further 46% said it would deter ‘some’ patients. Only 4% said it would pose no deterrent at all.

The extra distance required to travel to a hospital pharmacy will clearly make pseudoephedrine prescriptions even more inaccessible for rural patients. Of the rural GPs surveyed, 63% said that the need to pick up pseudoephedrine prescriptions from hospital pharmacies would deter ‘most’ patients, compared to 48% of urban GPs.

GPs divided on the effectiveness of the proposed alternative to pseudoephedrine

The Prime Minister's chief science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman claims that phenylephrine is largely as effective as pseudoephedrine-based drugs for cold and flu remedies.

General Practitioners are divided on the effectiveness of phenylephrine, with 37% disagreeing that it is as effective and exactly the same number, 37%, agreeing that it is as effective. Some 16% were unable to comment on phenylephrine. Health Sector researcher Jonathan Dodd says that “With phenylephrine being touted as the best alternative to pseudoephedrine, the government must act to ensure that all GPs have the information they and their patients require. Citing an alternative that few may have experience with places the onus on the government to ensure a smooth changeover occurs.”

Most GPs believe the new restrictions on pseudoephedrine will benefit NZ society

The new restrictions on pseudoephedrine-based medicines will make them less accessible for most patients, but these restrictions are intended to reduce the amount of methamphetamine ('P') being made in New Zealand.

When asked whether the new prescribing restrictions on pseudoephedrine-based drugs will have an overall effect of benefiting New Zealand society, 63% of General Practitioners stated that the overall effect will in fact be beneficial, with only 21% stating the opposite.

Comment

Health Sector researcher Jonathan Dodd notes that “Some major debates are occurring across the spectrum and one only has to witness the heated arguments occurring in places as diverse as John Key’s Facebook page and the TradeMe community discussions to see how this is dividing people. It is a classic example of the few spoiling it for the many, the majority of honest pseudoephedrine users feeling unjustly penalised because of the minority who abuse it.”

“Adding to the ire of pro-pseudoephedrine people is that phenylephrine is regarded as having questionable effectiveness, a belief supported by the divided opinions of the GPs we surveyed. However those with more awareness of the problems of ‘P’ are more likely to support the recent changes, hence our finding that the majority of GPs believe society as a whole will benefit from the changes.”

About Synovate

Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions.

The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions.

Synovate employs over 6,000 staff across 62 countries, including New Zealand. More information on Synovate can be found at www.synovate.com.

ENDS

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