Report reveals codeine product guidelines have saved lives

While codeine has been listed as a controlled drug in The Misuse of Drugs Act in Ireland since 1977, guidance has since been issued for pharmacists which outlined how to follow the previous legislation in relation to the supply of codeine-containing products. File photo

Advice to pharmacists on the dispensing of products containing codeine has had a significant impact in reducing intentional drug overdoses in which those drugs were a factor.

Teams from University College Cork and the National Suicide Research Foundation have co-authored new research based on presentations for intentional drug overdose (IDO) to Irish hospitals between the start of January 2007 and the end of December 2013, as recorded by the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland.