The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today given approval for a medicine to be made available from a pharmacist without a doctor’s prescription to treat chlamydia. The azithromycin tablet, which will be called “Clamelle”, will be available to buy by people 16 years and over if they have tested positive for the infection and have no symptoms, and for their sexual partners.
Dr June Raine, Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines at the MHRA said, “Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK. Up to 70% of people who have chlamydia have no symptoms and could therefore remain undiagnosed. This means that they are at huge risk of serious long-term health complications, including infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Today’s move means that symptom–free people diagnosed with Chlamydia and their partner will be able to get convenient effective treatment from their local pharmacy.
“The MHRA is keen to support the availability of more medicines over-the-counter (OTC), where it is safe to do so, and we wish to move on to new areas such as prevention and chronic disease management. We know many pharmacists are ready for this too. Making this medicine available from a pharmacy is a real example of how we are progressing, and enabling people to play an active role in taking charge of their own healthcare.”
The medicine is expected to hit pharmacy shelves later this year.
Dr June Raine, Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines at the MHRA said, “Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK. Up to 70% of people who have chlamydia have no symptoms and could therefore remain undiagnosed. This means that they are at huge risk of serious long-term health complications, including infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Today’s move means that symptom–free people diagnosed with Chlamydia and their partner will be able to get convenient effective treatment from their local pharmacy.
“The MHRA is keen to support the availability of more medicines over-the-counter (OTC), where it is safe to do so, and we wish to move on to new areas such as prevention and chronic disease management. We know many pharmacists are ready for this too. Making this medicine available from a pharmacy is a real example of how we are progressing, and enabling people to play an active role in taking charge of their own healthcare.”
The medicine is expected to hit pharmacy shelves later this year.
Patients will be able to buy an approved standard testing kit, called Clamelle costing £25, post a urine sample to an approved laboratory where the test will be carried out and receive the results back in the post with information and advice.
If the test is positive, the patient goes to any pharmacy, not necessarily the same one where the test was bought, and the results are confirmed via computer.
If the patient has no other symptoms then the pharmacist will hand out the antibiotic, called azithromycin costing £20, with instructions on its use, and take details of sexual partners so they can be traced and tested.
If the patient has symptoms they will be advised to see their GP as they might have another disease as well as Chlamydia.
2 comments:
Not the world's OTC antibiotic.
Chloramphenicol.
Good point - I've now changed the title.
Thanks.
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