Draft Human Medicines (Amendment Relating to Original Pack Dispensing) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2023

I was a member of the Committee scrutinising The Draft Human Medicines (Amendment Relating to Original Pack Dispensing) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2023  on Tuesday 5 September 2023 relating to the  Human Medicines Regulations 2012 which set out when medicines need to be prescription only and the requirements of pharmacists selling or supplying prescription-only medicines. This draft statutory instrument makes two amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations. First, it enables original pack dispensing of medicine when original packaging is required. Secondly, it requires whole-pack dispensing of medicines containing valproate.

I asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Maria Caulfield MP, “The Minister gave the example of 28 days or 30 days. Will pharmacists be able to explain to patients that they will not necessarily have to take them for 30 days?”. My concern was that if extra tablets were included in although helping pharmacists, those taking them shoudl have it explained to them that they should only take those that are prescribed. The Minister confirmed the pharmacists will explain this to patients. 

The Minister responded by saying, “Absolutely, and pharmacists are very keen to do this. This will often be used for repeat medication. A GP may prescribe a month’s pack—which, depending on the supplier, will be for either 28 days or 30 days—but when dispensing the packs the pharmacist will be able to give advice to patients so that they are absolutely clear on the instructions, which will also be written on the pack.”