HEALTH INFORMATION – CLASSIFICATION OF MEDICINES

Why can you obtain some medicines from a pharmacist, or even buy them from a supermarket, while others can only be obtained from your doctor? The difference depends on the level of supervision that experts in medicines consider is needed before you use a particular medicine.

There are three categories determining how you obtain medicine:

• Prescription-only medicines (POMs) are available only on a prescription issued by a doctor or other suitably qualified healthcare professional.
• Pharmacy (P) medicines are available from a pharmacy without a prescription, but under the supervision of a pharmacist. The pharmacist or another member of staff will check that the medicine is appropriate for you and your health problem, and will ask questions to ensure that there's no reason why you shouldn't use the medicine. 
• General sales list (GSL) medicines can be bought from pharmacies, supermarkets and other retail outlets without the supervision of a pharmacist. These include medicines to treat minor, self-limiting complaints that people may feel aren't serious enough to see their doctor or pharmacist about, such as the common cold, headaches, other aches and pains, minor cuts and stomach-related upsets.

Can medicines change their status?

A wide range of medicines have switched from both POM to P and P to GSL over the past 20 years, including ibuprofen for pain relief, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for stopping smoking, and emergency hormonal contraception. More recently, simvastatin, a medicine that reduces cholesterol as a means of reducing the risk of heart attack, and chloramphenicol eye drops for eye infections have also switched from POM to P.

Are medicines I can buy from a pharmacy just as effective and safe?

 If a medicine switches from POM to P, or from P to GSL, the active drug remains exactly the same. This means that it's just as effective as when it had to be prescribed by a qualified prescriber. It also means that there's the same risk of side effects if you take too high a dose or if you don’t follow the instructions on the label, so it's important to follow the instructions carefully.