Use of Nolotil, the drug investigated by the district attorney's office, rose 40% in five years

06.04.2024 – 09:30

Updated: 06.04.2024 – 11:49

the Recipes For medicines Nolotil family transportation car Exceeds 3.1 million During the past year. Specifically, invoices were sent to CatSalut for 3,142,892, an 8.6% increase on the previous year and a 40% increase compared to five years ago, in 2018. This is data from the Catalan Health Service that ACN analyzed in reference to Catalonia and which includes not only Nolotel, But also the rest of the medicines in the N02BB type group, which contain the same active principle, metamizole sodium, or another chemical from the same family, propyphenazone. The pharmaceutical sector called for calm following the investigation opened by the Public Prosecutor's Office regarding Nolotil, but also stressed the necessity of taking it with a medical prescription.

The trend in the use of Nolotil and similar medicines has been on the rise in recent years and continues to grow, given that more than half a million were dispensed in the first two months of the year, 3.8% more than in the same period. Last year also more than in previous years.

The age group in which Nolotil and similar medicines are common is over 84 years, which has happened every year since the historical streak began in 2016, and will also happen in 2023, when 513,511 prescriptions from the N02BB group were given in this range, 16.3% of the total. Total. In general, the older the patient, the greater the drug use: 11.8% of prescriptions went to patients aged 75 to 79 years, and 10% between 80 and 84 years of age.

Two out of every three Nolotil prescriptions are for women

By gender, there is a clear majority of use by women (64.2% of all prescriptions in 2023) compared to men (35.1%). The weight of each gender is very similar to that of the rest of the years, with women always receiving approximately two doses out of three.

Regarding the distribution of prescriptions by health region, most of them were dispensed last year in Barcelona and its urban area, which is the most densely populated area in the country, where the number reached 2,103,462 units. The population of the northeastern provinces of the principality was 313,230, while the population of Camp de Tarragona was 302,316. 190,004 were distributed in central Catalonia; In the West 100495; and in Terres de l'Ebre, 92655; and in the Haute Pyrenees and Arran 21,174.

The Spanish Public Prosecution opened an investigation to determine whether there is a risk of harmful effects on citizens’ health from the use of Nolotil, which is offered as a medicine to treat pain and fever. The prosecution wants to determine whether there are responsibilities on the part of manufacturers, marketers and organizations that have certified the authenticity of this drug, if such adverse effects of the drug are confirmed.

There is no risk of side effects for short treatments

In statements to ACN, the honorary pharmacist of the Sant Gervasi Pharmacy in Barcelona, Thomas barHe explains that it is mainly prescribed for acute and intermittent pain, such as that resulting from surgery or that related to dentistry. According to her, it is less common as a chronic medication, and this is only the case when paracetamol is not enough, especially with the elderly.

Thomas says that because it's usually given for short treatments, less than a week, there's no risk of the side effect, which is agranulocytosis, which is a decrease in defenses, especially white blood cells. The pharmacist adds that for prescriptions longer than a week in duration, a periodic analysis should be performed to control parameters related to defenses. However, he explains that it is important that it is taken by prescription, and that if you have doses of the previous treatments in your medicine cabinet, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking them.

In an interview with RAC 1, President of the Catalan Society of Pharmacology, Caridad PontesHe called for calm, and said that the negative effect of Nolotil is known and very rare, and that it occurs in one case out of a million. “It is a safe drug, which is why it has been on the market for many years, but safety controls are becoming more stringent.”