Some non-prescription cold and allergy medicines have been moved behind the counter at pharmacies, as part of the effort to decrease illegal drug production. According to a new law under the Patriot Act, all drug products that contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine must be kept behind the pharmacy counter. (This includes the Health Services Pharmacy.) A prescription is not needed, but you need to ask for it at the pharmacy counter, show identification and sign a form that records how much you are buying. There is a limit on how much you can buy in a day and within a given month.
The new law affects several hundred non-prescription products such as Sudafed Nasal Decongestant Tablets, Advil Allergy Sinus Caplets, TheraFlu Daytime Severe Cold SoftGels, and Tylenol Flu NightTime Gelcaps, since most decongestants on the market contain pseudoephedrine.
Drug companies are reformulating some of their products to eliminate pseudoephedrine. For example, Sudafed PE available “on the shelf” contains the active ingredient phenylephrine. Phenylephrine is safe and effective but it has to be taken more frequently than the pseudoephedrine-containing drugs because the effects are not as long lasting.
So, when you are recommended to get Sudafed, to help with a cold or allergies be sure to get the non-prescription form of Sudafed that will be most effective for your needs.
Accredited by: