The 30 spray pack of Nasacort Allergy Relief for adults 55 micrograms/dose is “sufficiently safe to be sold on general sale”, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) concluded in its public assessment report, published last week (May 26).

Following its approval, the nasal spray – used to treat symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) – is now available as a GSL item, the MHRA told C+D yesterday (June 2).

Reasons behind the switch

As the 30 spray pack size provides just over seven days of treatment with the maximum daily use – two sprays into each nostril once daily – the MHRA determined that increasing the availability of Nasacort Allergy “is unlikely to increase the risk of adverse events”.

“The product information has been updated to advise users to stop treatment or to seek the advice of a doctor if any improvement is not seen within seven days,” it added.

Hayfever is also a “well-established condition for self-care”, the MHRA said, and “the public are already accustomed to managing the symptoms of hayfever by similar medicines that can be bought without the presence of a pharmacist”.

With no evidence that Nasacort Allergy is used incorrectly, and the determination that increasing the availability of nasal steroid sprays would be “useful” to treat the symptoms of SAR, the MHRA approved the switch without the need to consult the Commission on Human Medicines.