Aspirin should stay in supermarkets

Aspirin should stay in supermarkets

The New Zealand Self Medication Industry (NZSMI), the industry body representing non-prescription consumer healthcare products, says aspirin should remain in supermarkets as it has not seen any evidence that requires restriction of the popular medicine.

“Aspirin has a very long history of safe use and we believe consumers should have convenient and affordable access to it,” says Tim Roper, executive director of the NZSMI.

NZSMI challenges the view that consumers need to talk to a health professional each time they buy low-dose aspirin.

“If a health professional has recommended taking daily low-dose aspirin then consumers should be able to buy it at their convenience without further repeated consultation. We would also recommend that consumers follow the instructions on the packet, which are clear and concise, and return to seek the advice of a health professional before taking other medicines with aspirin.”

Mr Roper notes that, coincidentally, the latest guidance from the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (August 2010) recommends that women at risk of developing hypertension during pregnancy, or with chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disease or diabetes, should take aspirin 75mg daily. Those women with more than one moderate risk factor should also be offered daily low-dose aspirin.

Low-dose aspirin remains unscheduled in Australia and available in supermarkets in the U.K.

He adds aspirin has been available for many years in New Zealand and the vast majority of people using it as directed experience no undesirable effects.

“We see no reason to change the status quo and inconvenience thousands of New Zealanders.”

Ends

About SMI: The New Zealand Self-Medication Industry Association Inc (SMI) is the national trade association representing manufacturers, marketers and distributors of a wide range of products, generally available "over-the-counter" (OTC) and mainly for use in self-medication by New Zealand consumers. SMI’s mission is to promote better health through responsible self-care. This means ensuring that safe and effective self-care products are readily available to all New Zealanders at a reasonable cost. SMI works to encourage responsible use by consumers and an increasing role for cost-effective self-medication products as part of the broad national health strategy.

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