Two popular drugs were named by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board that will no longer be sold without a prescription from a doctor.
Benylin cough syrup and Betapyn tablets have codeine which is now a controlled substance that will no longer be sold over the counter.
Betapyn tablets are as painkillers used to cure headaches, toothaches, and joint pains.
Additionally, the poisons board gave manufacturers of medicines with codeine six months to change their packaging to include clear and positioned warnings on the label.
[caption caption="Dr Fred Siyoi registrar of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board "]
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Medicines with codeine have been changed from Pharmacy Only Medicines category to Prescription Only Medicine category.
The board's registrar Dr Fred Siyoi stated: "All dispensers and prescribers should not offer for the sale of any medicine that contains codeine without a valid prescription of a duly registered medical practitioner."
All valid prescriptions are expected to have the patient's name, age, address, medical practitioners name, their registration number, and the name of the medicine.
Other details will include the strength and their dosage form, quantity prescribed in words and the signature of the medical practitioner written in indelible ink.
"Please note that no refill will be allowed for prescriptions with medicines that contain codeine," Dr Siyoi added.
[caption caption="Betapyn one of the drugs a patient will need a doctors prescription to purchase"]
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The Pharmacy and Poisons Board warned that the codeine found in the medicines could lead to the risk of abuse and addiction.
