Submitted on Thursday 9th October 2025
Rejected on Tuesday 18th November 2025
Current status: Rejected
Rejection code: irrelevant (see below for details)
Allow pharmacist-supervised over-the-counter access to asthma reliever inhalers
Ask the MHRA to review the prescription-only status of asthma reliever inhalers and invite licence holders to apply for reclassification to pharmacy (P) status, allowing faster, safer access under pharmacist supervision
In the UK, short-acting asthma reliever inhalers are prescription-only, patients must obtain a GP appointment for each supply. This can be dangerous for those with breathlessness or who run out unexpectedly.
Evidence from the MHRA, NICE, and Asthma + Lung UK shows that short-acting agonists such as salbutamol are safe and effective when used as directed. Reclassification to (P) status would allow supply under pharmacist supervision, with safeguards red-flag screening and referral to a GP.
You can't sign this petition because it was rejected. But you can still comment on it here at Repetition.me!
The Government e-Petitions Team gave the following reason:
We can only accept petitions about things the Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the organisation responsible for deciding whether a medication is classified as over-the-counter or prescription-only, not the UK Government or Parliament.
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