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Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
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Over-the-counter codeine use in Iceland: the impact of increased access

Anna Birna Almarsdóttir

Department of Social Pharmacy, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, Denmark, annab{at}decode.is, AL-BAS Ltd., Hafnarfjördur, Iceland

Almar Grímsson

Department of Social Pharmacy, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, Denmark, AL-BAS Ltd., Hafnarfjördur, Iceland

Background: The objective of this study was to test the assumption that liberalizing community pharmacy ownership in Iceland would lead to increased irrational use of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine. Methods: Based on this assumption we built and tested a model using an interrupted time series design that contrasts the monthly sales data for over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine before and after the legislation took effect. Results: The total use of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine as well as those containing paracetamol and codeine has risen steadily throughout the period under study. The interrupted time series did not show a substantial effect from the legislative change on the use of all over-the-counter codeine pain relievers, paracetemol with codeine, and aspirin with codeine combinations. Conclusion: The assumption that increased access leads to irrational use of over-the-counter medicines is not substantiated in the case of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine.

Key Words: codeine • drug utilization • interrupted time series analysis.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 28, No. 4, 270-274 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/14034948000280041001
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