Counting the cost of over-the-counter codeine containing analgesic misuse: A retrospective review of hospital admissions over a 5 year period

Reduced gastrointestinal-related hospitalisation costs following rescheduling of over-the-counter codeine-containing compound analgesics in Australia: results of a single hospital audit in South Australia

BACKGROUND

Codeine-containing compound analgesics (CCCAs) are associated with dependence and, when taken in excess, significant risks of harm. A previous audit showed significant costs related to admissions for gastrointestinal (GI) complications of CCCA. Based on this and other evidence of harm, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration changed CCCAs to prescription only in 2018.

AIMS

We aimed to identify the costs associated with codeine-related GI complications and whether the schedule change in 2018 led to a reduced clinical and financial strain on the health care system.

METHODS

We conducted an audit of GI admissions and associated costs of CCCAs at a tertiary teaching hospital in Adelaide between 2016 and 2020. Patients were grouped by 2-year time periods before (group 1) and following (group 2) schedule change. Costs for the index presentation were multiplied for subsequent presentations. Costs and outcomes were compared for groups (standard statistics; P value < 0.05 significant.) RESULTS: Three hundred forty patients (group 1, n = 164; group 2, n = 119) were identified, with the majority of these admitted due to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) only. For CCCAs (NSAID-containing), the same patients were admitted repeatedly with a reduction from 31 to eight admissions (P = 0.005), following rescheduling. The total cost of CCCA admissions was reduced from AU$ 561 691 for group 1 to AU$ 261 764 for group 2 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Australian rescheduling of CCCAs in 2018 resulted in a reduction in hospital admissions and costs related to GI complications. The cost savings, even in a single hospital department, were substantial.

Pharmacists' use of guidelines for the supply of non-prescription medicines: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

Guidelines support best practice for healthcare practice. In Australia, some non-prescription medicines are only accessible after consultation with a pharmacist and are known as Pharmacist Only medicines. Guidelines for providing some Pharmacist Only medicines are available, however, it is currently unknown if and how these guidelines are used in practice.The objective was to characterise pharmacists', intern pharmacists and pharmacy students' use of guidelines for Pharmacist Only medicines.

METHODS

A cross-sectional electronic survey of Australian registered pharmacists, intern pharmacists and pharmacy students was administered in July 2020. Questions explored the participants' use of Pharmacist Only medicine guidelines (available both in print and online; available online only) in the preceding 12 months. Data were analysed descriptively (i.e. frequencies, percentages).

KEY FINDINGS

In total, 574 eligible respondents completed the survey. Overall, 396 (69%) reported accessing the online and in-print guidelines in the previous 12 months with 185 (33%) accessing online-only guidelines. The guideline on emergency contraception was used the most out of all guidelines in the past 12 months (278, 48%). Overall, respondents reported accessing guidelines to update knowledge, check their practice reflected best practice and content familiarisation. Respondents' reasons for not accessing guidelines were due to respondents stating they did not need the information or that they had previously accessed the guidelines more than 12 months ago. These reasons varied between respondent groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Access and use of the Pharmacist Only medicines guidelines varied between pharmacists, interns and students. Further understanding of the influences of the use of these guidelines will help inform professional bodies on how best to develop guidelines to increase consistent use in practice and implement interventions to increase use.

A mixed-methods systematic review of the prevalence, reasons, associated harms and risk-reduction interventions of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines misuse, abuse and dependence in adults

Background

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are typically safe. However, there is evidence that OTC medicines can sometimes cause harm as a result of their misuse, abuse and dependence.

Aim of the review

To review the literature on OTC medicines misuse, abuse and dependence in adults and identify the implicated medicines, contributing factors, associated harms and risk-mitigating interventions.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published in English between January 2011 and March 2019. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies assessing aspects of misuse, abuse and dependence of OTC medicines in individuals aged 18 years or more were included. Studies that solely focused on adolescents only, doping in sports or abuse of OTC medicines in people who are substance abusers were excluded. The random effect meta-analysis model was used to pool the prevalence among the population-based studies.

Results

Of 2355 peer-reviewed studies initially identified, 53 were included in this review. According to the study design, the prevalence varied, but the overall pooled prevalence in the population-based studies was: 16.2% for misuse, 2.0% for abuse, and 7.2% for dependence. The common OTC medicines groups involved in the problematic use were analgesics (with or without codeine), sedative antihistamines, cough mixtures containing dextromethorphan. Physical, psychological, social and financial harms were associated with problematic use of OTC medicines in addition to hospitalisation and death. Interventions for the affected individuals were provided mainly through the community pharmacies, general practices and specialised addiction centres.

Conclusion

The problematic use of OTC medicines is quite prevalent in adults, necessitating raising public awareness about their safe use. In addition, innovative harm minimisation models need to be developed, evaluated and implemented across health care settings.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40545-021-00350-7.

The impact of codeine upscheduling on overdoses, Emergency Department presentations and mortality in Victoria, Australia

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Prior to February 2018, codeine was available over-the-counter (OTC) in Australia as a pharmacist-only medicine (Schedule 3) in low-strength formulations when in combination with simple analgesics. In February 2018, The Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling (ACMS) upscheduled codeine-containing medicines (CCM) to Schedule 4 (prescription-only medicine). This study aimed to determine the impact of upscheduling on prescriptions, overdoses and deaths.

METHODS

This study used interrupted time series analysis, a quasi-experimental design, to retrospectively evaluate the impact of upscheduling on overdose poisoning calls to the Victorian Poisons Information Centre (VPIC), Emergency Department (ED) presentations to Austin Health, and deaths reported to the Victorian Coroner from 1 January 2013-31 December 2019.

RESULTS

There was a significant reduction in the trend of high-strength codeine poisoning calls by 0.36 (P = 0.03, 95 % CI = [-0.69, -0.04]). Low-strength codeine poisoning calls to the VPIC reduced by 13.31 (P <0.001, 95 % CI = [-16.80, 9.82]]) calls in February 2018, followed by continued reduction of 0.12 calls per month. High-strength codeine overdose ED presentations reduced in the first quarter of 2018 by 3.72 presentations (P = 0.004, 95 % CI = [-6.13, -1.31]). Low-strength codeine overdose ED presentations after the first quarter of 2018 by 0.33 (P = 0.03, 95 % CI = [-0.63, -0.03]) presentations per month. Codeine-related deaths reduced by 7.19 (P < 0.001, 95 % CI = [-9.44, -4.94]) deaths in February 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

Codeine upscheduling to prescription-only medicine has reduced codeine-related poisoning calls, overdoses and unnatural death in Victoria.

Impact of a policy change restricting access to codeine on prescription opioid-related emergency department presentations: an interrupted time series analysis

ABSTRACT

Codeine is one of the most commonly used opioid analgesics. Significant codeine-related morbidity and mortality prompted regulatory responses, with the up-scheduling of codeine combination analgesics to prescription-only medicines implemented in Australia in February 2018. This study investigated the impact of codeine up-scheduling on the number of codeine and other (noncodeine) prescription opioid-related emergency department (ED) presentations in a large metropolitan tertiary hospital. Clinical features of these presentations were also examined. Interrupted time series analyses assessed monthly changes in ED presentations from June 2016 to November 2019. In the month immediately after up-scheduling, there was a significant reduction of 3.97 codeine-related presentations (B = -3.97, P = 0.022), indicating a 29.66% level change, followed by a significant change in trend to fewer monthly codeine-related presentations (B = -0.38, P = 0.005). Noncodeine prescription opioid-related (B = -1.90, P = 0.446) and ED presentations overall (B = -118.04, P = 0.140) remained unchanged immediately post-up-scheduling, with a significant change in trend from upward to downward for noncodeine (B = -0.76; P = 0.002) and ED presentations overall (B = -19.34, P = 0.022). A significant reduction of 4.58 (B = -4.58, P = 0.009) in codeine presentations involving subsequent hospital admission immediately post-up-scheduling was found; but no immediate reduction in codeine-related suicide-related overdoses, length of inpatient stay, or re-presentations (P > 0.0125; adjusted for multiple comparisons). Restricting supply of codeine to prescription-only may have resulted in less harmful codeine-related use in the community, without a corresponding immediate decrease in other opioid-related harms.

Over-The-Counter Codeine: Can Community Pharmacy Staff Nudge Customers into Its Safe and Appropriate Use?

The misuse of opioids, including codeine which is sold over-the-counter (OTC) in United Kingdom (UK) community pharmacies, is a growing public health concern. An educational Patient Safety Card was developed and piloted to see if it nudged customers into the safe and appropriate use of OTC codeine. Exploratory analysis was conducted by (i) recording quantitative interactions for people requesting OTC codeine in community pharmacies; and (ii) a web-based pharmacy staff survey. Twenty-four pharmacies submitted data on 3993 interactions using the Patient Safety Card. Staff found the majority of interactions (91.3%) to be very or quite easy. Following an interaction using the card, customers known to pharmacy staff as frequent purchasers of OTC codeine were more likely not to purchase a pain relief medicine compared to customers not known to staff (5.5% of known customers did not purchase any pain relief product versus 1.1% for unknown customers (χ² = 41.73, df = 1, p < 0.001)). These results support both the use of a visual educational intervention to encourage appropriate use of OTC codeine in community pharmacy and the principles behind better self-care.

Pharmacological Aspects of Over-the-Counter Opioid Drugs Misuse

Several over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are known to be misused. Among them are opioids such as codeine, dihydrocodeine, and loperamide. This work elucidates their pharmacology, interactions, safety profiles, and how pharmacology is being manipulated to misuse these common medications, with the aim to expand on the subject outlined by the authors focusing on abuse prevention and prevalence rates. The reviewed literature was identified in several online databases through searches conducted with phrases created by combining the international non-proprietary names of the drugs with terms related to drug misuse. The results show that OTC opioids are misused as an alternative for illicit narcotics, or prescription-only opioids. The potency of codeine and loperamide is strongly dependent on the individual enzymatic activity of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, as well as P-glycoprotein function. Codeine can also be utilized as a substrate for clandestine syntheses of more potent drugs of abuse, namely desomorphine (“Krokodil”), and morphine. The dangerous methods used to prepare these substances can result in poisoning from toxic chemicals and impurities originating from the synthesis procedure. OTC opioids are generally safe when consumed in accordance with medical guidelines. However, the intake of supratherapeutic amounts of these substances may reveal surprising traits of common medications.

Designing Effective Warnings about Addiction on the Patient Information Leaflet of Over-the-Counter Codeine Sold in England to University Students

(1) Background: The harm of misusing over-the-counter (OTC) codeine-containing medicines among university students in England is being increasingly recognized. Based on English university students, this paper aims to study the importance of information design on information communication, explore methods for effective warning design, and investigate university students’ perception of OTC codeine. (2) Methods: The effective warning design is addressed through case studies, answering correctness by the heat map generated from the eye-tracking experiment (ETE), and the total time spent on the tasks. User perceptions are made though online surveys. (3) Results: Information design significantly affects the way user processes information. Therefore, two emphasized warnings displayed in the headline, and the “possible side effect (PSE)” sections and warning signs of addiction presented under the PSE are suggested as effective ways to display warnings. For students’ perception of OTC codeine, 80% of university students are unfamiliar with the substance. After reading the patient information leaflets (PILs), 47% recommended tight regulation on codeine. (4) Conclusions: The misuse of OTC codeine could be a potential problem among English university students. The design of the PIL significantly influences the chance of unintentional medicine misuse. The display of warnings on the PILs of OTC codeine should be redesigned for better understanding.

Exploring Australian pharmacists' perceptions and attitudes toward codeine up-scheduling from over-the-counter to prescription only

Objective:

Explore the perceptions, attitudes and experiences of pharmacists relating to the up-scheduling of low dose codeine containing analgesics and the impact on pharmacy practice.

Methods:

A mixed design method was used consisting of an anonymous online questionnaire survey to quantitatively capture broad pre-scheduling change perceptions paired with a series of in-depth post-scheduling semi-structured interviews to provide a qualitative picture of the impact of codeine up-scheduling on pharmacy practice in Australia.

Results:

A total of 191 pharmacists completed the quantitative survey and 10 participated in the in-depth interview. The majority of respondents supported the decision to up-schedule over-the-counter combination products containing codeine to some degree. Three main themes emerged from the data: pharmacists’ perceptions of the codeine up-scheduling decision, preparing for the up-schedule and impact of the up-schedule on pharmacy practice. Pharmacists were concerned about the impact of up-scheduling on the pharmacy business, patient access to pain relief and the diminishment of their professional role.

Conclusions:

There were diverse perceptions, preparedness and impact on practice regarding the up-scheduling of low dose codeine products. Further research should be conducted to gauge if and how these perceptions have changed over time and to identify whether pain is being managed more effectively post codeine up-scheduling.

Experiences of over-the-counter codeine misusers and accounts of recovery: A qualitative study in Tasmania, Australia

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

There is international concern about misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) codeine, yet few studies have reported the perspectives of misusers themselves. This study explored the experience of OTC codeine misuse and recovery in Tasmania, Australia.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 15 self-identified long-term users of OTC codeine. The interview guide prompted responses about reasons for codeine use, positive and negative impacts, recovery, identity and codeine accessibility. Transcripts were analysed abductively using qualitative content analysis. Categories that emerged from misuser accounts were aligned to three broad temporal phases: (i) transition to misuse; (ii) growing awareness; and (iii) towards recovery.

RESULTS

Salient features of the misuse experience included: initial use for the self-treatment of physical pain; ongoing use to self-medicate physical pain, stress or mental health conditions; a perception of safety of OTC codeine; an insidious transition from use to misuse; growing awareness of a problem over time; support provided by family, friends and the internet; recovery through self-change; and recognition that recovery is an ongoing process.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge and understanding of the experience of OTC codeine misuse and recovery is critical to inform and tailor approaches to prevention and intervention. The findings suggest that strategies to improve the management of pain, stress and mental health, raise self-awareness of problematic use and potential for self-change, and increase social and web-based supports, should be considered when designing health policy initiatives that aim to reduce misuse.

Codeine use and harms in Australia: evaluating the effects of re-scheduling

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Globally, codeine is the most-used opioid. In December 2016, Australia announced that low-strength codeine (≤ 15 mg) would be re-scheduled and no longer available for purchase over-the-counter; this was implemented in February 2018. We aimed to evaluate the effect of this scheduling change on codeine misuse and use and misuse of other opioids.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Interrupted time-series analysis of monthly opioid exposure calls to New South Wales Poisons Information Centre (NSWPIC, captures 50% of Australia's poisoning calls), January 2015- January 2019 and monthly national codeine sales, March 2015-March 2019. We incorporated a washout period (January 2017 - January 2018) between the announcement and implementation, when prescriber/consumer behaviour may have been influenced.

PARTICIPANTS

Intentional opioid overdoses resulting in a call to NSWPIC.

MEASUREMENTS

We used linear segmented regression to identify abrupt changes in level and slope of fitted lines. Codeine poisonings and sales were stratified into high strength (> 15 mg per dose unit) and low strength (≤ 15 mg). Only low-strength formulations were re-scheduled.

FINDINGS

We observed an abrupt -50.8 percentage [95% confidence interval (CI) = -79.0 to -22.6%] level change in monthly codeine-related poisonings and no change in slope in the 12 months after February 2018. There was no increase in calls to the NSWPIC for high-strength products, level change: -37.2% (95% CI = -82.3 to 8%) or non-codeine opioids, level change: -4.4% (95% CI = -33.3 to 24.4%). Overall, the re-scheduling resulted in a level change in opioid calls of -35.8% calls/month (95% CI = -51.2 to -20.4%). Low-strength codeine sales decreased by 87.3% (95% CI = -88.5 to -85.9%), with no increase in high-strength codeine sales in the 14 months following re-scheduling, -4.0% (95% CI = -19.6 to 14.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Codeine re-scheduling in Australia appears to have reduced codeine misuse and sales.

The Promotion of Policy Changes Restricting Access to Codeine Medicines on Twitter: What do National Pain Organizations Say?

Codeine is one of the most common opioid medicines for treating pain. Australia introduced policy changes in February 2018 to up-schedule codeine to prescription-only medicine due to concerns of adverse effects, opioid dependency, and overdose-related mortality. This study investigated the frequency and content of messages promoted on Twitter by 4 Australian peak pain organizations, pre- and postpolicy implementation. A time series analysis examined frequency of Twitter posts over a 48-week period. Text analysis via Leximancer examined message content. Results showed that promotion and education of the pending policy change dominated the Twitter feed prior to up-scheduling. However, immediately following policy change, there was a shift in content towards promoting conferences and research, and a significant decrease in the frequency of codeine-related posts, compared to opioid-related non-codeine posts. The findings suggest that pain organizations can provide timely and educational policy dissemination in the online environment. They have implications for individuals with chronic pain who use the Internet for health information and the degree to which they can trust these sources, as well as health professionals. Further research is required to determine if public health campaigns can be targeted to prevent opioid-related harm and improve pain care via this increasingly used medium. PERSPECTIVE: This study presents a first look at what information is being communicated by influential pain organizations that have an online Twitter presence and how messages were delivered during a major policy change restricting access to codeine medicines. Insights could drive targeted future online health campaigns for improved pain management.

'For pain, no shame' and 'My secret solace': Accounts of over-the-counter codeine dependence using Q methodology

BACKGROUND

Dependence on over-the-counter (OTC) codeine is recognised internationally as a rising public health issue. The effectiveness of health intervention strategies may be influenced by the beliefs held by those who are dependent. Applying Q methodology, this study aimed to identify shared accounts of OTC codeine dependence.

METHODS

Twenty-six participants from Tasmania, Australia, met eligibility criteria for the study as long-term OTC codeine users with a Severity of Dependence Score of five or higher. Forty-six opinion statements about OTC codeine dependence were sourced from the literature and online discussion forums. These were rank-ordered by participants from least to most agree and explanatory comments for the most strongly positioned statements were provided. By-person factor analysis was used to group participants who had sorted the statements similarly.

RESULTS

Two distinct accounts of OTC codeine dependence were identified. Participants representing Factor One, 'For pain, no shame', were not ashamed of their OTC codeine use, believed access should not be restricted and regarded it as necessary for the relief of physical pain. In contrast, Factor Two, 'My secret solace', was characterized by feelings of guilt and shame. Participants in this group intentionally used codeine for its effects on mood; to help them relax and to relieve stress, rather than solely for pain relief. They did not consider regular use of codeine to be socially acceptable and hid their use from others.

CONCLUSION

The way in which OTC codeine use is viewed by those who are dependent is not uniform. Two distinct accounts were identified in this sample. Participants from each group varied in their beliefs about access, causality, reasons for use and feelings of legitimacy and shame. An understanding of these differences can be used to better target interventions and guide policy for the prevention and management of OTC codeine dependence.

Complications related to chronic supratherapeutic use of codeine containing compound analgesics in a cohort of patients presenting for codeine withdrawal

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

This study aimed to compare complications arising due to the supratherapeutic use of paracetamol/codeine or ibuprofen/codeine containing compound analgesics in primary codeine-dependent patients presenting to a drug and alcohol withdrawal service. Data was compared to determine if there was any difference in the number of complications observed between the two groups.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A retrospective case review of patients presenting for primary codeine dependence from 2009 to 2014. Sixty patients (42F, 36 ± 10 years) using ibuprofen/codeine and 46 (26F, 39 ± 10 years) using paracetamol/codeine containing compound analgesics were compared. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Patients consumed similar daily doses of codeine (699 ± 45 vs. 636 ± 50 mg) with those consuming ibuprofen/codeine containing compound analgesics ingesting twice as many tablets daily (median 60 vs. 30 tablets; P < 0.0001). Complications related to supratherapeutic use of codeine containing compound analgesics occurred more commonly in patients taking ibuprofen/codeine (52/60; 87%) versus paracetamol/codeine compound analgesics (30/46; 65%) (P < 0.01). Patients taking ibuprofen/codeine containing compound analgesics were more likely to have gastrointestinal bleeding (P < 0.05), anaemia (P < 0.0001) and renal tubular acidosis (P < 0.05). There were two deaths in the group abusing ibuprofen/codeine compound analgesics.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

In patients with primary codeine dependence, there were more complications related to the supratherapeutic use of ibuprofen/codeine versus paracetamol/codeine containing compound analgesics. The patients in both groups ingested similar total daily codeine amounts. Increased daily tablet intake in the ibuprofen/codeine group could possibly have been linked to lower codeine content per tablet.