The ME Association has made the following release:

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Final nail in the coffin for co-proxamol?
New research published early on-line in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology looks as though it may be the 'final nail in the coffin' for co-proxamol - a combination analgesic that some people who have moderate to severe pain find very helpful.

Co-proxamol has been almost withdrawn from prescription use following concerns earlier in the year about the fact that overdose with this drug is far more likely to be fatal than with other similar analgesics.

In July, government health minister Caroline Flint stated in parliament that GPs may need to continue prescribing co-proxamol on a named patient basis for the minority of patients who have gone through all the alternatives - which include other types of paracetamol and opiod combinations.

But this new research from Edinburgh, which concluded that 290 deaths could be avoided each year by terminating the prescribing of co-proxamol, means that any relaxation of the restrictions now seems highly unlikely.

The ME Association is continuing to monitor the situation regarding co-proxamol, and if you have any personal experiences relating to withdrawal of this drug please let send an email by clicking on this link: ME Connect


Dr Charles Shepherd
ME Association