Why is sudafed sold behind the counter

Does this new law change that status? In response to the misuse of methamphetamine, many state governments have issued regulations controlling the sale of these products. This should not effect the restrictions already placed in your state. I have chronic sinus problems. Will I be limited from getting the amount of pseudoephedrine I need?

Yes, with this new law there will be limits on the number of tablets of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine that can be purchased in a day period. As there are many different dosages and formulations of these products, you should ask your pharmacist how much you will be allowed to purchase over a day period for specific product you use.

In other words, placement may be in a secure location in the pharmacy prescription-filling area or in a locked cabinet that is located in the area of the facility to which customers do not have direct access.

In all cases, the seller will deliver the product directly into the custody of the buyer. Will training be required for personnel responsible for selling pseudoephedrine? Companies selling products containing pseudoephedrine are required to submit to the Attorney General a statement regarding self-certification and training on the new law.

What about a sample size package containing only pills of pseudoephedrine like those often sold at gas stations or grocery stores? These single dose packages have to remain behind the counter. What is FDA announcing today? Who has responsibility for enforcement of the Act? What is pseudoephedrine? What is methamphetamine? Drug Enforcement Administration Does this mean I need a prescription from my doctor to buy pseudoephedrine?

However, the illegal methamphetamine that it can be used to make is highly addictive. You can walk into any pharmacy and buy phenylephrine off the shelf like you would for any other purchase. But for pseudoephedrine, there are special requirements. To get it, you have to buy it from the pharmacy staff, not off the shelf. The reason for these requirements is that pseudoephedrine is used to make illegal methamphetamine, which is highly addictive.

These rules help prevent people from buying products that contain pseudoephedrine to make methamphetamine. Studies in and found pseudoephedrine to be more effective than phenylephrine in the treatment of nasal congestion.

Both pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can cause side effects. Call your doctor if you have any serious side effects when using these drugs. Rebound congestion congestion that occurs from overuse of nasal decongestants may also develop if nasal phenylephrine is used more times in one day or for more days than indicated on the label.

An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. This can help your doctor prevent possible interactions. One class of drugs that is known to interact with both pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine is monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs. This class includes drugs such as:. Ask your doctor about other treatment options. In general, pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine should not be used together.

Combining them could lead to increases in both blood pressure and heart rate. However, check with your doctor. Certain medications can make certain conditions or diseases worse. If you have any of the following conditions, you should discuss with your doctor before taking pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine:.

When purchased you must show identification and provide a signature. You will notice that the Sudafed you can buy right off the shelf is actually Sudafed-PE. The PE actually stands for its active ingredient, phenylephrine. While phenylephrine is still a decongestant, it cannot be made into methamphetamine. Decongestants can affect people differently, however I will point out that while pseudoephedrine is almost percent absorbed by your body, phenylephrine is only percent absorbed. Therefore, most of my patients achieve better decongestant results from the original pseudoephedrine.

I urge consumers to not be afraid of approaching the pharmacy counter if you are in need of some relief. The pharmacist may have a few questions for you; however we are just ensuring that it is the right product for your needs.