From December 1, access to tramadol and codeine-based medications will require a “secure” prescription to limit abuse. This new measure, introduced by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM), aims to better control the use of these opioids in France.
A serious public health problem
The Tramadol and the codeine are two drugs opioids often prescribed to relieve pain. The first is one of the most widely used opioids in the treatment of pain in France. The second is also used against coughs and moderate pain. These remedies are effective, but present a high risk of dependence, or even overdose, when misused or taken over the long term. Their abusive use poses a serious public health problem. The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines has decided to strengthen the safety around their prescription.
A tamper-proof order to limit abuse
To better regulate the use of these substances, a prescription “secure” will now be mandatory. And this prescription will include several tamper-proof elements, such as a watermark representing the symbol of the medical profession and an anti-fraud barcode. The prescription, dosage and duration of treatment must be clearly indicated. Indeed, despite previous regulatory efforts, the authorities still note several cases of falsified prescriptions. This is why this new initiative was necessary.
Limited prescription to prevent addiction
In addition to the secure prescription, the maximum prescription period for the codeine will be reduced to 12 weeks. Beyond this period, a prescription renewal will be required. This measure, already in place for the Tramadolwill also apply to dihydrocodeine. France is still far from the massive crisis linked to opioids observed in the United States, even if a worrying increase in misuse is still observed, particularly with Tramadol. In 2022, the ANSM reported several serious cases of abuse. Some of which led to deaths.
