Procedure for the Classification of Medicinal Products

Issued pursuant to
Section 5, Clause 10 and Section 10, Clause 13
of the Pharmaceutical Law

1. These Regulations prescribe the procedure for the classification of medicinal products (except veterinary medicinal products).

2. The State Agency of Medicines, when taking a decision regarding the registration (re-registration) of medicinal products, shall also concurrently determine to which of the following classification groups the medicinal products belong:

2.1. medicinal products for the use of which a written instruction drawn up by a medical practitioner shall be required:

2.1.1. prescription for primary or secondary out-patient treatment (hereinafter - prescription medicinal products); and

2.1.2. entry into the medical documentation of an in-patient medical treatment institution;

2.2. medicinal products, which may be used without a written instruction drawn up by a medical practitioner (hereinafter - non-prescription medicinal products).

3. Medicinal products that conform to at least one of the following criteria shall be included in the group of prescription medicinal products:

3.1. even if used correctly, without the supervision of a medical practitioner such medicinal products may cause a direct or indirect threat to human health;

3.2. the medicinal products are often used in too large quantities and incorrectly thereby causing a direct or indirect threat to human health;

3.3. the medicinal products contain substances or mixtures of substances the activity or adverse side effects of which require additional research;

3.4. the medicinal products are normally intended for parenteral use (for administering of the medicinal products otherwise than through the digestive tract);

3.5. the medicinal products contain significant amount of substances, which are included in List II or III of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances and precursors controlled in Latvia;

3.6. if used incorrectly, the medicinal products create a risk of medicinal abuse, addiction or might be used for illegal purposes;

3.7. the medicinal products contain substances which, due to insufficient experience of use (innovation) or their characteristics, for precautionary purposes, shall be considered as equal to the medicinal products referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.6 of these Regulations;

3.8. the medicinal products are intended for the medical treatment of such diseases which are diagnosed at in-patient medical treatment institutions or other specialised medical treatment institutions which have corresponding diagnostic facilities. Further use of the medicinal products and additional measures may take place outside the medical treatment institutions referred to; or

3.9. the medicinal products are intended for out-patient medical treatment but may cause very serious adverse side effects due to which the use of such medicinal products requires instructions and supervision of a specialist of the relevant sector during the whole period of medical treatment.

4. The medicinal products, the use of which due to the pharmaceutical properties or insufficient experience of use (innovation) thereof, or in the public health interest is permitted only for in-patient medical treatment, shall be included in the group of medicinal products referred to in Sub-paragraph 2.1.2 of these Regulations.

5. The State Agency of Medicines shall be entitled not to apply the criteria referred to in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of these Regulations to medicinal products if the maximum single dosage, maximum daily dosage, strength, form of medicinal products, type of packaging or other circumstances of use are such as do not create a risk for the safe use of the medicinal products.

6. The medicinal products that do not conform to the criteria referred to in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of these Regulations or to which, in accordance with Paragraph 5 of these Regulations, the State Agency of Medicines does not apply the criteria referred to in Paragraphs 3 and 4 shall belong to non-prescription medicinal products.

7. The State Agency of Medicines shall establish and regularly (not less than once per year) update the list of medicinal products registered in Latvia and medicinal products distributed within the territory of Latvia which are registered by the centralised registration procedure of medicinal products of the European Medicines Agency (hereinafter - the list). The medicinal products which belong to the group referred to in Sub-paragraphs 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 of these Regulations shall be specified by a designation "Pr.". Non-prescription medicinal products do not require a designation. Also the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification code shall be specified in respect of the medicinal products in the list.

8. In addition to the designations referred to in Paragraph 7 of these Regulations, the State Agency of Medicines shall use the following designations:

8.1. Pr. I - in respect of narcotic medicinal products and psychotropic medicinal products equivalent thereto;

8.2. Pr. II - in respect of the medicinal products referred to in Subparagraphs 3.8, 3.9 and Paragraph 4 of these Regulations. In respect of the medicinal products referred to in Paragraph 4 of these Regulations, in addition, a designation "stac." shall be specified. In respect of the medicinal products referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.9 of these Regulations, in addition, the speciality of the doctor shall be specified; and

8.3. Pr. III - in respect of the medicinal products which have been recognised as narcotic analgetic agents or psychotropic medicinal products by the State Agency of Medicines and which do not belong to the medicinal products referred to in Sub-paragraph 8.1 of these Regulations.

9. If the State Agency of Medicines becomes aware of new information regarding medicinal products, the Agency shall evaluate the relevant information and, where necessary, take a decision regarding the making of amendments in the list in respect of the classification of medicinal products, taking into account the criteria referred to in Paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of these Regulations.

10. If a decision regarding the making of amendments to the list in respect of the classification of medicinal products is based upon significant pre-clinical tests or clinical trials, the State Agency of Medicines, in the evaluation of submissions, for a year after the making of amendments shall not apply the results of such tests or trials to the changes in the classification of the same substance, which changes have been presented by another submitter of a submission or a holder of the registration certificate.

11. The State Agency of Medicines shall once a year inform other European Union Member States and the European Commission regarding the amendments which have been made in the list in respect of the classification of medicinal products.

12. The State Agency of Medicines shall maintain a data base in which the medicinal products referred to in the list shall be specified alongside with the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification and defined daily dosage (ATC/DDD) thereof.

13. Cabinet Regulation No. 138 of 20 March 2001, Regulations On Classification of Medicinal Products into Prescription and Non-prescription Medicinal Products (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2001, No. 52; 2003, No. 111) is repealed.

Informative Reference to European Union Directives

These Regulations contain legal norms arising from:

1) Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use; and

2) Directive 2004/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 amending Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use.

Prime Minister A. Kalvītis

Minister for Health G. Bērziņš

Translation © 2006 Tulkošanas un terminoloģijas centrs (Translation and Terminology Centre)