An online pharmacy has withdrawn its multibuy offer on healthcare products after a complaint was made to the MHRA claiming that the deal could encourage large sales of paracetamol.   Pharmacy Place stressed that its offer did not apply to the sale of analgesics and told the MHRA that it had procedures in place to manage the risk of excessive medicines purchases.   And earlier this year the company took "swift action" to withdraw the promotion, which offered customers a discount of 30p when they purchased three or more healthcare products, following the complaint.

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	The medicines watchdog has previously condemned Poundland's paracetamol offer of selling three packs of 16 tablets for £1 – breaching guidelines that recommend a maximum of two packs per transaction. But the discount retailer stressed that it was acting within the law, which permits the sale of up to 100 paracetamol tablets in one transaction.

The MHRA praised Pharmacy Place for responding quickly to concerns over paracetamol sales. "The difference between this case and companies such as Poundland is that this company took swift action when it was made aware of a concern," the agency told C+D.   The Royal Pharmaceutical Society stressed that all retailers should comply with MHRA guidelines, branding multibuy promotions on paracetamol "shocking".   "Retailers offering discounts are acting highly irresponsibly and should reconsider their marketing immediately," said the society's spokesperson, Neal Patel. "Pharmacists and pharmacy owners fully understand their responsibilities regarding paracetamol and it's deplorable that retailers take advantage of the lack of regulation in this area."   Complaints over paracetamol sales had split opinion among C+D readers last year. While some branded MHRA guidelines on paracetamol "senseless", others stressed that limiting sales could prevent accidental overdose.