The terms 'pharmaceuticals' and 'pharmaceutical drugs' encompass a variety of medicines used to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure disease. The pharmaceutical drugs section of the NADK addresses a subsection of these medicines, namely those with analgesic or sedative-hypnotic properties. This includes a range of pharmaceutical drugs that are available from various sources such as:

• Unscheduled Medicines: Available for general sale in supermarkets, grocery stores, health food stores and pharmacies, often with labels about safe use, (e.g., for non-prescription pain relief medicines). In the NADK, these drugs include some formulations of aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen.
• Schedule 2 - Pharmacy medicines: Available on open shelves only at pharmacies, but a pharmacist or pharmacy assistant must be available for advice if required (e.g., larger packets of non-prescription pain relief medicines). In the NADK, these drugs include some formulations of aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen.
• Schedule 3 - Pharmacist-only medicines: Only available from behind the counter at a pharmacy. No prescription is required but a pharmacist must be consulted before they are dispensed. In the NADK, these drugs include some formulations of ibuprofen and paracetamol.
• Schedule 4 - Prescription-only medicines: Must be prescribed by an authorised healthcare professional and may be supplied in hospital or purchased from a pharmacy with a prescription. In the NADK, these include tramadol, codeine-containing medicines and most benzodiazepines.   
• Schedule 8 - Controlled drugs: Must be prescribed by an authorised healthcare professional, who may need a permit to prescribe them. Drugs included in the NADK are opioids (but excluding formulations used for opioid substitution therapy) such as buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone and tapentadol, and the benzodiazepines flunitrazepam and alprazolam.   

Use of pharmaceuticals for medical purposes

People use pharmaceutical drugs to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure disease, or to manage problematic symptoms. Such use is considered sanctioned when it is consistent with a health professional’s instructions and is in accordance with the instructions on the drug label.

Use of pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes

Pharmaceutical drugs can be misused for a variety of reasons, including dependence, self-medication, withdrawal from other drugs and enhancement of illicit drug effects.

Non-medical use involves using a substance without medical advice, or in a manner deliberately contrary to instructions provided by a health professional or as specified on the package label. This may include taking the drug via a different route of administration, at a different dosage, or in combination with other drugs.

Pharmaceutical drugs used for non-medical purposes can have potentially dangerous side effects and their use can lead to overdose, addiction, poisoning, disease or death.

Pharmaceutical drugs are used for medical purposes but may also be misused for non-medical purposes.

Medical use of pharmaceutical drugs

Pharmaceutical drugs are used for medical purposes when a person follows the advice/instructions from a doctor, pharmacist, other health professional, or packet label and takes the medication for the purpose for which it is intended.

Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs

Non-medical pharmaceutical drug use occurs when a drug is used by a person at a dosage or via a route of administration unintended by the prescriber, pharmacist or drug manufacturer.

Non-medical use includes:

• Use by an individual to deliberately obtain a non-therapeutic intoxicating effect
• The use of a prescription medication outside the terms of a prescription
• Deliberately obtaining prescriptions for drugs from multiple prescribers without informing those prescribers of the full extent of one’s use
• The supply of prescription pharmaceutical drugs to a person for whom the drugs were not prescribed  
• The purchase or use of prescription pharmaceutical drugs by a person other than the prescribed user
• The use of pharmaceutical drugs at a dosage, or via a route of administration, unintended by the prescriber, pharmacist or manufacturer (e.g., the injection of a drug intended for oral use).   

The use of pharmaceutical drugs for medical or non-medical purposes is associated with a range of negative outcomes for the workplace, including accidents, injuries, absenteeism and low productivity. This risk may be increased if pharmaceutical drugs are used by employees whose work role requires abstinence from specific pharmaceutical drugs (for instance, prescription drugs which specify that driving or operating heavy machinery should be avoided when under their influence).

Use of pharmaceutical drugs can:

• impair psychomotor functioning
• impair cognitive functioning
• weaken the immune system
• impair driving ability
• increase risk of fractures
• dysregulate mood.

These effects can last between two and 72 hours and can negatively affect workplace safety, performance and productivity. Employees who use pharmaceutical drugs may present a potential danger at work, especially if the user is operating machinery or driving a vehicle.

In 2015/16, the cost to Australian businesses due to non-medical pharmaceutical drug related occupational injury and absenteeism was estimated at $459 million.

If you are worried about your own or somebody else’s pharmaceutical drug use, contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS). The Alcohol and Drug Information Centres are state and territory-based services that offer information, advice, referral, intake, assessment and support. They offer services for individuals, their family and friends, general practitioners, other health professionals, and business and community groups.

To contact ADIS, ring the 24 hour hotline on 1800 250 015 and you will be automatically directed to the ADIS in the state or territory you are calling from.