In all countries, there are a small number of medicines that if not used responsibly, can be lead to addiction and have the potential to be abused by individuals. These are therefore “Controlled Drugs”.
At the highest level of control, Narcotic there is little variation between the UAE and International classification of controlled drugs. All internationally recognised narcotics are classed as narcotics in the UAE; however, the UAE has
promoted some other medicines to narcotic status due to concerns about their potential abuse in the UAE e.g. amphetamine is controlled internationally as a “psychotropic” but in the UAE, the mode of dispensing is Narcotic.
Furthermore, some medicines that are regular preion items in other countries are subject Controlled Drugs
In all countries, there are a small number of medicines that if not used responsibly, can be lead to addiction and have the potential to be abused by individuals. These are therefore “Controlled Drugs”.
At the highest level of control, Narcotic there is little variation between the UAE and International classification of controlled drugs. All internationally recognised narcotics are classed as narcotics in the UAE; however, the UAE has
promoted some other medicines to narcotic status due to concerns about their potential abuse in the UAE e.g. amphetamine is controlled internationally as a “psychotropic” but in the UAE, the mode of dispensing is Narcotic.
Furthermore, some medicines that are regular preion items in other countries are subject to additional controls due to concern about their abuse in
the UAE. The most common examples are antidepressants.
Some drugs have been controlled due to abuse of a different kind. Misoprotol
(Arthrotec®, Cytotec®) tablets have been used as an illegal abortion inducing
drug and are controlled
Isotretinoin (Roaccutane®) has been
controlled because of the high risk of teratogenesis when not used according to strict guidelines.
Anabolic steroids have been abused by athletes
and these are now controlled.
2nd page:
Some important Narcotic and CDA Recording responsibilities include:
Clinical area: At shift changes, nurses must have a formal handover of the
narcotic drugs including a check of the inventory
Hospital Pharmacy: Must keep an up to date specimen signature record of the
prescribers and nurses who order narcotics drugs.
Ensure that there is a program of internal narcotic inspections nursing and this should include an independent review of registers and inventory every 1-2 months
Private Pharmacy: Keep all invoices and preions for CDAs for 5 years
Drug stores: Keep all invoices (from vendors) and delivery notes (to UAE
customers) for CDAs for 5 years.
Private clinics Physicians in private clinics must NOT keep samples of
controlled medicines. If the physician wishes to keep a
controlled medicine in his office / clinic e.g. rectal diazepam,
then he should write to GAHS requesting this privilege and
describing how it will be stored and recorded. GAHS
inspectors may visit to review the situation.
Veterinary hospitals Federal law 14 is very clear that, compared with physicians,
Veterinary surgeons have an equal right to possess and administer narcotics and psychotropics as part of their clinical practice.
Veterinary hospitals should contact GAHS for advice on how to ensure that they can use controlled medicines within the law.
3rd page:
Expired, damaged and patients’ own medicines
If a health care facility has controlled medicines that are expired or damaged they
must be separated from the active stock and removed as soon as possible.
Return the expired stock to the place it was obtained e.g. the GAHS medical store.
The transfer should be recorded in the register
If the narcotic stock is damaged but the medicine is contained within sealed
packaging e.g. broken ampoule within a sealed blister wrapping, it can be returned.
If the damage has resulted in the spillage of narcotic material then it must be
reported to GAHS as an incident using the facilities incident form. After review by a
GAHS inspector the broken item can be returned to the store and replaced .
Small quantities of CDA and CDB medication can be destroyed in the presence of a
GAHS inspector.
If patients bring unwanted controlled items the pharmacist should destroy these in
the presence of the patient or their representative. This should be recorded in a
separate section of the register. They must not be added to the stock.
Reference:
A guide to the management of controlled drugs in the private sector
March 2007~ Version 1
General Authoriyt for Health Services for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (GAHS)
