Module two

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  Medicine labels must provide details including:

  • The ingredients contained in the medicine
  • How the medicine may help you
  • How to take and store the medicine
  • Warnings and side effects
• Active ingredients 


  Active ingredients are the parts of the medicine that do the healing or provide relief of the symptoms.
• Examples of active ingredients include:

  • Paracetamol
  • Aspirin
  • Ibuprofen
• Active ingredients


  Some medicines contain a combination of two or more active ingredients – for example in some pain relief medicines, paracetamol may be combined with ibuprofen.
• Inactive ingredients


  In addition to active ingredients, medicines also contain ingredients such as preservatives, colouring or flavouring agents, or even sugar or lactose.  These inactive ingredients are important parts of the medicine ‘recipe’, and are used to improve things like taste and the way the medicine is absorbed into the body.
• Some inactive ingredients may be harmful or may cause problems for people with particular conditions.  For example, you need to be careful with inactive ingredients in situations such as the following:

  • Lactose, and lactose intolerant customers
  • Sugars, including glucose, and customers who have diabetes
  • Gluten, and customers with coeliac disease
  • Sodium and customers on restricted sodium diets
  • Ingredients used for colouring, and customers who react to food colouring
• Heading:  Products that are for topical use (meaning to be applied to the skin) must have the statement, 'For external use only'.

  
• The medicine's schedule

  
• The product's name and purpose:  the health concern the product is used to treat

  
• Directions for use: the amount of medicine to take and how often it should be taken.

  
• Cautions advice on possible side effects.

  
• Warnings advice about who should not take this medicine.

  
• Active ingredients.

  
• Inactive ingredients.

  (Inactive are not always listed on all medicine packaging)

  
• Strength:  the amount of active ingredient contained in each tablet.

  
• Storage instructions – advice about how the product should be stored e.g. refrigerated.

  
• Expiry date.

  
• Whether the medicine is Listed or Registered

  
• The medicine should be taken after eating a meal.  Some medicines work better on a full stomach, while others are less likely to upset the stomach or intestines if taken with food.
• This medicine needs to be taken on an empty stomach. This is because food can affect the way these medicines work. For example, taking some medicines at the same time as eating may prevent your stomach and intestines from absorbing the medicine, making it less effective.
• Medicines that are to be taken on an empty stomach should be taken about an hour before a meal, or two hours after a meal.
• You would take this medicine four times over a day.  However, the doses must be timed to be six hours apart. This means that if the customer takes a dose at 10.00am, they would need to take the next one at 4.00pm.
• This direction usually means the customer needs to take four doses evenly throughout the day.  This would mean taking one dose every four to six hours apart.  For example one dose could be taken in the morning, one at night and then the other two doses to be evenly spaced out throughout the day. However, always check whether there are any requirements for the medicine to be taken with food.
• This direction requires the customer to apply the cream, ointment, gel etc. to the area of the body that shows signs of symptoms.
• The medicine should be taken while the symptoms are present.  Once the symptoms go away, the customer should stop using the medicine, unless otherwise instructed by their medical practitioner.
• This product is intended to be applied to the outside of the skin.  In other words, this medicine should not be swallowed or applied to any internal parts of the body e.g. mouth, nose, ears, vagina, anus.
• Microg/mcg


  Microgram(s)
• IU


  International units
• Common measuring devices:

  A) medicine spoon

  B) medicine cup

  C) medicine dropper

  D) Oral syringe

  
• What is paracetamol?

  Paracetamol is a commonly used medicine used for treating symptoms of aches, pain and fever.
• Paracetamol classifications

  You will find paracetamol-containing products in the following categories:

  • Unscheduled
  • Pharmacy Medicine
  • Pharmacist Only Medicine
  • Prescription Only Medicine
• Risk involved with paracetamol

  The recommended maximum dose of paracetamol for an adult (or child over 12 years) is 4g over a 24-hour period (i.e. 8 x 500mg tablets). Repeatedly taking more than the recommended dose or overdosing on paracetamol can cause serious injury to the liver and may even lead to death.
• When customers purchase a paracetamol product, ensure they are aware of its strength and that they take no more than the recommended daily dose.
• Some paracetamol products have a slow release formula e.g. Panadol Osteo. Ensure customers understand that doses of these medicines should be taken every six to eight hours to a maximum of six caplets a day.
• Customers must not take paracetamol with other paracetamol-containing medicines e.g. cold and flu medicines.
• Customers should be sure that the strength is appropriate for the age or weight of the child being treated. If more than one child is being treated using the same product, remind customers to follow the dosage table directions on the pack.
• Key issues with particular medicines - pseudoephedrine hydrochloride

  Pseudoephedrine is the active ingredient in many cough and cold and sinus medicines.  These include several Pharmacist Only Medicines such as: Codral Original Day and Night® tablets, Sudafed® Sinus + pain relief tablets, Nurofen® cold & flu with decongestant
• How medicine containing pseudo ephedrine can be misused?

  Some people target pharmacies to purchase large quantities of medicines containing pseudoephedrine for the purposes of illicit drug manufacture. As a result, the storage and supply of pseudoephedrine-containing medicines is closely monitored.
• How pharmacies monitor sales of pseudo epherine?

  Participating pharmacies require customers to provide photo ID in order to purchase cough and cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine and sales are subsequently recorded.

  All customers requesting products containing pseudoephedrine must be referred to the pharmacist
• You are required to refer all medicines for children under two years of age to a pharmacist.