Rx Update: May 2005

New Pseudoephedrine Controls
Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Joan Murhammer, R.Ph., Mary Ross, R.Ph., M.B.A., Kevin Bebout, R.Ph.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed

New Pseudoephedrine Controls

The state of Iowa has enacted a new law affecting the handling of pseudoephedrine products.  As of Saturday, May 21, 2005, most pseudoephedrine-containing products sold in Iowa will be handled as Schedule V controlled substances.  This new law affects pseudoephedrine provided as a single-agent product and any combination product that contains any amount of pseudoephedrine (including many cough and cold preparations).  As with other controlled substances, these products must be stored within pharmacy and all patient care areas under lock and key, and a perpetual inventory of supplies kept on hand must be maintained.  Outpatient prescriptions for any pseudoephedrine-containing products will also be treated like other controlled substances in Schedules III, IV and V; the prescriber must supply his/her DEA registration number on the prescription and the number of refills will be limited to five (or six months).

Over-the-counter (OTC) pseudoephedrine-containing products will still be available for purchase in the UIHC Ambulatory Care Pharmacies.  However, the new law limits the amount that can be purchased without a prescription to 7500 mg (total) within a 30-day period.  Purchasers must be 18 years of age and provide a government-issued photo ID (e.g., a driver’s license).

For several years, the UIHC has internally handled single-agent pseudoephedrine products as controlled substances; the new law now requires that all pseudoephedrine-containing preparations be treated as controlled substances throughout Iowa. If you have questions about the proper storage, handling or use of pseudoephedrine-containing products, please contact Kevin Bebout, Administrative Pharmacy Practice Specialist. Additional information may also be found at:

http://www.state.ia.us/odcp/information_trends/pseudo%20what%20you%20need%20to%20know.html .

Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra^®) is a new vaccine that provides protection against invasive meningococcal disease. Both the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra^®), as well as the current meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Menomune^®), provide seroprotection against Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135. Conjugated vaccines result in improved immunogenicity over polysaccharide vaccines. Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra^®) is approved for persons 11 through 55 years of age and is the preferred meningococcal vaccine for persons in this age group because of the increased immunogenicity. Children 2 through 10 years old and adults over 55 years of age should still receive the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Menomune^®). The brand name should be specified when ordering meningococcal vaccine.

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra^®) is administered as a 0.5 ml dose intramuscularly, preferably in the deltoid region. The meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Menomune^®) is administrated as a 0.5 ml dose subcutaneously.

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