CONSUMERS will now only be able to purchase Panadol Multisymptom from pharmacies, following a restriction imposed by the Ministry of Health last month.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had imposed the same restriction, amidst concerns that the drug, which contains pseudoephedrine, is being used inappropriately by consumers.

Pseudoephedrine is a commonly used decongestant to relieve nasal congestion commonly associated with colds or allergies. It is found in many over-the-counter preparations either as single-ingredient preparations, or more commonly in combination with antihistamines, paracetamol and or ibuprofen.

“The Ministry of Health has restricted the sale of the over-the-counter (OTC) products containing pseudoephedrine (PSE), such as Panadol Multisymptom and Panadol Non Drowsy, due to the inappropriate use of the product by some consumers,” distributor of the product GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Caribbean Limited said in a notice in the Observer yesterday.