Nicorette nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products will now be sold in local shops, following the announcement that the Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly the Irish Medicines Board) has switched the status of the products from ‘pharmacy only’ to ‘general sale’.
The decision will “result in these products being more widely accessible by people wishing to seek assistance to reduce or quit smoking,” the Authority said.
Commenting on the decision, Tara Buckley of RGDATA said that the retail representative body has "campaigned for this change over the past 10 years. We have made numerous submissions to make these products available for sale in local shops and are delighted to note that persistence pays off.”
This will be the first NRT product range available for general sale in Ireland. The HRPA’s decision follows a detailed assessment of the safety and efficacy of several NRT products which have been available in non-pharmacy outlets in other EU countries for some time.
