Prescription drugs pregabalin and gabapentin are to be
reclassified as class C controlled substances from next
April, the government announced today (15 October).
Today’s move comes after experts highlighted rising numbers
of fatalities linked to the drugs. The change means it will
be illegal to possess pregabalin and gabapentin without a
prescription and it will be illegal to supply or sell them
to others.
The drugs, which are used to treat nerve pain, epilepsy and
anxiety, can bring about an elevated mood in users but can
also have serious side effects, particularly when used in
combination with other drugs.
In 2016, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)
raised concerns over medicinal misuse, illegal diversion of
the drugs and addiction, and recommended that pregabalin
and gabapentin should be controlled as class C Drugs under
the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The government accepted the ACMD’s advice and launched a
public consultation to assess the impact on the healthcare
sector. Pharmacies, doctors, pharmaceutical companies and
patients responded to the consultation,
which has been published today, backing the tighter
controls of the drugs under the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations.
Regulations implementing the change in law to control the
drugs will be laid in Parliament on Wednesday.
Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability
said:
Any death related to the misuse of drugs is a tragedy. We
accepted expert advice and will now change the law to
help prevent misuse of pregabalin and gabapentin and
addiction to them.
While drug misuse is lower now than it was 10 years ago,
we remain committed to reducing it and the harm it
causes.
That is why we have published a comprehensive strategy to
tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most
vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover
and turn their lives around.
The law change will mean the drugs are still available for
legitimate use on prescription, but there will be stronger
controls in place to ensure accountability and minimise the
chances of pregabalin and gabapentin falling into the wrong
hands or being stockpiled by patients.
Doctors will now need to physically sign prescriptions,
rather than electronic copies being accepted by
pharmacists. In addition, pharmacists must dispense the
drugs within 28 days of the prescription being written.
To ensure that there is enough lead-in time for those in
the health care sector to adapt to the new measures, they
will come into force in April 2019.
