Hay fever season – a reminder that we no longer prescribe OTC meds
20 April 2018
With hay fever season upon us we thought it worth reminding GPs about the decision to stop prescribing (OTC) medicines used to treat mild to moderate hayfever.
Decision
- The decision to stop prescribing over the counter (OTC) medicines used to treat mild to moderate hayfever applies to ALL patients across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge, where the below listed exceptions do not apply
- These products include OTC tablets, nose sprays/drops and eye drops used for treating the symptoms of hayfever
These medicines include:
- Cetirizine
- Loratidine
- Chlorphenamine
- Beclometasone nasal spray
- Sodium cromoglycate eye drops
Exceptions
BHR CCGs have agreed exceptions to this recommendation, where they accept that prescribing should continue. Prescriptions may be considered in the following circumstances:
- Allergic symptoms are severe and do not respond to various combinations of OTC medication in combination with measures to reduce exposure to pollen, despite 3 months of use
- OTC medication to manage hay fever symptoms are contra-indicated for the patient
- Patients with perennial symptoms which require treatment throughout the year
- An OTC corticosteroid nasal spray has been used for longer than 3 months
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