• Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine, with availability expected as early as June.
  • Associate Health Minister David Seymour states this early availability surpasses initial projections for 2025 over-the-counter sales without a prescription.
  • New legislation has reclassified pseudoephedrine, aligning New Zealand’s drug policies with those of Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US.

Pseudoephedrine, a key component in cold and flu medications, is slated for an early return to New Zealand pharmacies. Medsafe has approved 11 products containing this ingredient for over-the-counter sales, potentially available by June this year—significantly earlier than the anticipated 2025 schedule.

Associate Health Minister David Seymour highlighted the government’s swift action in amending laws and expediting the approval process to meet the public demand for these medications during the winter season. “The government has swiftly changed the law and ensured a rapid approval by Medsafe, bringing these medicines back to the community sooner than expected,” Seymour stated.

The recent legislative change reclassifies pseudoephedrine from a Class B to a Class C controlled drug, a move supported unanimously in Parliament. This reclassification aims to mitigate previous concerns about its misuse for methamphetamine production, while maintaining strict import and export restrictions.

Seymour reassured that, despite the reclassification, strong safeguards will remain to prevent misuse, with New Zealand Police and Customs maintaining oversight.

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