One of the responsibilities of the MHRA is to enforce the provisions of the Medicines Act 1968 and associated secondary legislation. The law regulates the sale, supply and administration of all medicines available in the UK. Each medicine is assigned to one of three legal categories - prescription only (POM), pharmacy (P) or general sale list (GSL). These classifications determine how medicines can be supplied to the public.
POM and P medicines can only be sold or supplied at registered pharmacy premises by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. POMs are subject to the additional requirement that they are sold or supplied in accordance with an appropriate practitioner's prescription. An "appropriate practitioner" is a doctor, dentist or, in certain circumstances, an independent nurse prescriber or a supplementary prescriber. GSL medicines can be sold from a wider range of premises such as supermarkets provided those premises can be closed to exclude the public (i.e. they are lockable) and the medicines are pre-packed. There are, however, a number of exemptions from these restrictions.
Medicines legislation does not specifically address the issue of administration of medicines except where the product is for injection. Then, it may only be:
- self-administered
- administered by a doctor or subject to certain limitations, an independent nurse prescriber or supplementary prescriber
- by anyone acting in accordance with the patient-specific directions of a doctor or, subject to certain limitations, an independent nurse prescriber or supplementary prescriber.
Again, there are exemptions from these restrictions.
Contact for further information
For further information on this part of our site, please contact our Sale and Supply section, MHRA, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, London, SW1W 9SZ, telephone 020 3080 6392 or email MHRA Central Enquiry Point
