The use of some nasal decongestant sprays has been limited to a maximum of five days, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced yesterday.
The medicines regulator changed its recommendations for nasal decongestant sprays containing xylometazoline and oxymetazoline “due to adverse effects following prolonged use”, following advice from expert advisory groups to the Commission on Human Medicines.
The previous maximum use for the medicines, which can be bought without a prescription, was seven days.
Read more: RPS urges public not to misuse nasal decongestant sprays
The MHRA said new packaging and leaflets for sprays and drops containing xylometazoline and oxymetazoline will be updated with the new advice, and the wording on leaflets will also be “strengthened to emphasise the risks associated with prolonged use”.
It noted that the changes “will take some months to be implemented” and “shops will continue to sell existing stock of nasal decongestants with packaging that states that they can be used for up to seven days”.
RCPharm survey
Royal College of Pharmacy (RCPharm) chief scientist Professor Amira Guirguis said the college supports “clearer product information and improved packaging” and “consistent public messaging” to make patient aware that nasal sprays “are for short-term use only” and to “avoid preventable harm”.
“Pharmacists play a key role in supporting patients to use them safely and advising on safer alternatives where appropriate,” she said.
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A recent survey by RPharm found that almost 60% of pharmacists believed patients are “unaware of the risks” of misusing nasal sprays.
It also found that 74% of surveyed pharmacists believe the packaging “could be clearer” about the seven-day limit, while 63% said they had “intervened in cases of suspected over-use”.
The MHRA said “excessive use” of nasal sprays “can cause rebound congestion”, a “temporary swelling inside the nose that can lead to a chronic condition called rhinitis medicamentosa, which causes severe nasal congestion and damage to tissues”.
