NRT to go on general sale in Ireland

A nicotine replacement product is to be allowed to go on general sale in Ireland for the first time following a decision to relax the rule that has confined the availability of such products to pharmacies, according to a story by Paul Cullen for The Irish Times.

The initiative by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly the Irish Medicines Board) is likely to drive down the cost of anti-smoking aids as they become available in supermarkets and other retailers.

The decision by the authority to switch Nicorette from “pharmacy only” status to “general sale” status followed an application from the manufacturer.

“This will be the first NRT [nicotine replacement therapy] product range available for general sale in Ireland, and will result in these products being more widely accessible by people wishing to seek assistance to reduce or quit smoking,” the authority said.

It is expected that such products will become available at retailers from late August.

The decision does not affect the sale of e-cigarettes.

The authority said that where e-cigarettes were promoted as an aid to giving up smoking, they were considered to be a medicine requiring marketing authorization. Where no medicinal claim was made, they fell outside the remit of the authority.