Reports > The Fourth Report > CHAPTER THREE - A Brief History of the Regulation of Controlled Drugs >
The Medicines Act 1968
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The Medicines Act 1968 was introduced by the DHSS following a review of legislation relating to medicines prompted by the thalidomide tragedy in the 1960s. It brought together most of the previous legislation on medicines and introduced a number of other legal provisions for the control of medicines. It did not deal specifically with dangerous drugs but many of the requirements of the Act applied to dangerous drugs. |
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The Act divided medicinal drugs into three categories, depending mainly on the dangers they posed and the risk of misuse. The categories are: |
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- prescription only medicines, which may be sold or supplied to the public only on a practitioner's prescription. They may be administered only by or in accordance with directions from an appropriate practitioner, which term includes a medical practitioner. With the exception of controlled drug preparations below a certain strength set out in Schedule 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (MDR) 2001, all controlled drugs are prescription only medicines.
- pharmacy medicines, which, subject to certain exceptions, may be sold or supplied only from registered premises by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist. Most products listed within Schedule 5 are pharmacy medicines.
- general sales list medicines, which may be sold or supplied direct to the public in an unopened manufacturer's pack from any lockable premises. No controlled drugs are general sales lists medicines.
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The Dangerous Drugs Legislation of 1967 and 1968
