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Pharmacy medicines explainedPharmacy medicines explained
Some medicines can be bought only from pharmacies, while others can be bought from supermarkets. But what determines where and how a particular medicine can be sold?
Buy at shops and supermarkets
Some medicines can be bought from all sorts of outlets, including supermarkets, health food stores and convenience stores. These medicines are considered to have relatively few risks associated with their use, and are therefore unlikely to cause harm when used as directed.
Buy at pharmacies
Other medicines can be bought only in pharmacies. These medicines fall into three main categories:
- prescription medicines
- pharmacist only medicines
- pharmacy medicines.
These medicines can be sold only in pharmacies because they have more risks associated with their use, or because the condition they are used to treat is more significant.
You may be asked questions to ensure that the medicine is
appropriate for you and your symptoms.
appropriate for you and your symptoms.
Advice from a doctor, pharmacist or pharmacy assistant
Each of the categories of medicines has a different set of rules that determine how medicines in the category can be sold.
The rules are designed to ensure that people get an appropriate level of advice and supervision for the condition being treated and the medicine being bought. The rules also specify who can provide the advice: a doctor, a pharmacist or a pharmacy assistant.
Prescription medicines — as the name suggests — require a prescription from a doctor who diagnoses your condition before you can obtain the medicine and then supervises your treatment.
When you buy a ‘pharmacist only medicine’, you do not need a prescription but the pharmacist must be consulted. They may ask you questions to ensure that the medicine is appropriate for you and your symptoms, and that you know how to use the medicine properly. They may also give you advice about your symptoms, the medicine, other treatments, and what to do if symptoms persist.
Examples of ‘pharmacist only’ medicines include hydrocortisone cream (e.g. Dermaid, Sigmacort), which is used to temporarily relieve rashes, itching and other minor skin irritations, and clotrimazole, which is used for thrush (e.g. Canesten).
When you buy a ‘pharmacy medicine’, you do not need a prescription but the pharmacist or their pharmacy assistant may ask you questions to ensure that the medicine is appropriate for you. They may also give you some advice.
Examples of ‘pharmacy medicines’ include the anti-diarrhoea medicine loperamide (e.g. Diacare, Imodium, Gastrostop in small packets), and the anti-histamine loratadine (e.g. Alledine, Allereze, Claratyne, Lorastyne).
Some of the questions you may be asked by the pharmacist or pharmacy assistant, and the reasons for asking them are outlined below. The questions asked will depend on your symptoms and the medicine being bought. All are intended to determine that the treatment is appropriate for you, and to prevent any problems that could arise from inappropriate use of the medicine.
Questions you might be asked by the pharmacist or their pharmacy assistant
| Question | Reason for asking | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the medicine for? | To make sure the information and advice given is relevant to the person using the medicine. | Ibuprofen (e.g. Nurofen, Advil) is not suitable for pregnant women. |
| What are your symptoms? | To make sure the medicine is appropriate for the symptoms. | |
| For how long have you had symptoms? | To determine if you should see a doctor instead of taking an over-the-counter medicine. | Someone who needs to take antacids frequently for heartburn may have a more serious problem, such as a stomach ulcer. |
| Are you taking any other medicines | To ensure that the medicine will not interact with your other medicines. To make sure that you are not taking another medicine with the same active ingredient, thus potentially taking a double dose. | Some cough and cold products contain ingredients that can make some blood pressure medicines work less well. Many medicines contain paracetamol. By taking two medicines that contain paracetamol, you could unintentionally take more than the maximum daily dose, which could be harmful. |
| Do you have any other medical conditions? | To make sure that the medicine will not make your other conditions worse. | Painkillers such as ibuprofen can be dangerous for older people with certain heart conditions and some people with asthma. |
MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter for consumers written by consumers about using medicines wisely. Subscribe to the hard copy version using our online ordering system, or write to MedicinesTalk, National Prescribing Service Limited, PO Box 1147, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012.
Date published: 2009-01-30 00:00:00
Reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the date of creation. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified health professional. Health professionals should rely on their own expertise and enquiries when providing medical advice or treatment. Where permitted by law, NPS disclaims all liability (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or injury resulting from reliance on or use of this information. Read our full disclaimer.
References to brands should not be taken as an endorsement by NPS.
