Medicines Act

[budda]

Does anyone know of a good site covering the medicines act, whats in it and how it works?

I've had a look and for some unknown reason the Home Office wont even put a copy of the law on its website.

[RubberSkin]

I found this if it's of any use

[budda]

That's not the right one, I need the Medicines Act 1968, thanks for the offer though I should have been more specific.

[Sikorah]

This is the short piece off a bbc website(http://www.bbc.co.uk/crime/drugs/drugsandthelaw.shtml)

"The Medicines Act 1968 regulates drugs that are used for medicinal purposes, and again there are three main categories. A pharmacist can only sell 'Prescription Only' drugs, but only if they have been prescribed by a doctor. The 'General' category allows the medicines to be sold without a prescription in any shop, and a pharmacist can sell 'Pharmacy Medicines', without the need for a prescription."
Possession of 'Prescription Only' medicines without a prescription is a serious offence. Drugs such as amyl nitrite, GHB and ketamine are regulated under the Medicines Act".

Basically the GSL(general) allows places such as supermarkets to sell small packets of painkillers/cold remedies/cough medicines etc.
Pharmacy only includes things that could be dangerous to people. Painkillers in larger quantities(32 for example), painkillers containing codiene, strong decongestants,certain cough medicines anything that advice should be given with etc. These are the ones you have to ask for and on the back of the box there will be a 'P' in a square box.
Prescription only is pretty obvious.

[budda]

Thanks for that, but I need something a bit more detailed, anyone?

[TheSovereign]

i'll dig around. any LLB students should have access to LexisNexis or WestlawUK which have basically every statute ever published and more. but this should be widely available. you can't be bound by a law you cannot easily discover!

[TheSovereign]

re: Medicines Act 1968 (chapter 67) (meaning it was the 67th statute that year)

get a free trial for lexisnexis and find the law yourself.

http://www.butterworths.co.uk/utilities/lnb_trial.asp

edit - ahh i've just signed up and it might take a few days for a representative to call you with your username and password. if they get to me before you, i'll dig out that law for you and any relevant cases on the interpretation.

[budda]

Excellent mate, thank you.

It does seem a little odd that even the Home Office wont give you a copy, given its a law of the land we are supposed to abide by.