Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has asked Belgium's Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) to be extra vigilant for possible side effects of medicines used as sleep aids.
Experts sounded the alarm about excessive use of sleeping pills (which can result in people becoming confused, apathetic and forgetful), leading Vandenbroucke (of Flemish liberal Open VLD party) to enquire about the increased sale of the pills without a prescription.
"We use far too many sleeping pills and we often use them incorrectly," he said.
In light of the finding, Vandenbroucke acknowledged the need to continue investing in mental healthcare. He has requested that the FAMHP come up with specific proposals to deal with the problem and also called on pharmacists to help patients phase out their use of sleeping pills under prescription – for which a project is already underway.
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In addition, Vandenbroucke has asked pharmacists to be on the lookout for underlying problems, even with non-prescription medicines. He has called on the FAMHP to pay specific attention to the side effects of medicines that are used (rightly or wrongly) as sleep aids and to take the necessary measures in case a certain use of products is really risky.
De Caluwé stressed that sleeping problems often lead to other physical and psychological problems: "We should not let ourselves be lulled to sleep by sympathetic-looking commercials."
