Patients finding cheaper painkiller harder to swallow

The Government's switch to a cheaper subsidised paracetamol is proving a headache for many patients who cannot swallow the uncoated tablets and cannot afford the alternative.

In mid-October the Government drug-buying agency, Pharmac, changed its paracetamol supplier from Panadol to Pacemol, which supplied a cheaper product.

Although Panadol has an outer coating to make the tablet easier to swallow, the cheaper version does not.

As a result many patients, particularly the elderly, have difficulty taking their medication.

Paracetamol is New Zealand's most commonly prescribed medication, used as a general painkiller.

A Blenheim pharmacist, Lynda Roche, said she had had people coming in daily since the supplier changed, complaining that they could not swallow the tablets. She was advising people to cut tablets in half or crush them to make them easier to swallow.

Pharmac chief executive Wayne McNee said the decision to switch suppliers was based purely on price, as Pacemol was certified safe and effective and the medical equivalent of Panadol.

The switch offered a saving of $300,000 over the three-year tender period.

Pharmac had been contacted by three or four pharmacists complaining that patients found the medication hard to swallow.

These concerns had been passed on to Medsafe, the Health Ministry unit which assesses medicine safety.

Mr McNee said patients who could not swallow the tablets could still take the medication by crushing or dissolving it.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Health