The National Medicines Agency (ANM) warns that, as of April 1, Algocalmin and other Metamizol-based drugs will only be available at the chemist’s based on prescription, according to a 2010 decision of the National Medicines Agency (ANM), corroborated with European regulations. This measure refers exclusively to the selling of all Metamizol-based drugs in pharmacies, based on a prescription, which has to be left with the chemist, and does not alter the legal term by which the marketing authorization should be revised, the deputy chair of the Romanian Chemists’ College explained, yesterday. The European Council requested that Metamizol should be available only based on a doctor’s prescription, either on account of potential side effects (agranulocytosis) or to check the effectiveness of treatment. No cases of agranulocytosis have ever been reported at the National Medicines Agency’s National Pharmacovigilance Centre in Romania. The drugs which fall within the scope of this decision are: Algoremin, Fabocalm, Metamizol Solacium, Algiotop, Algoblock, Algocalmin, Algozone, Alindor, Metamizol Farmacon, Quarelin, Novocalmin, Sintocalmin and Centralgin.
