And now for something completely dififferent! Another excuse from our lords and masters....

Swissmedic is the "federal drugs agency" here, it does a similar job to the famous USA FDA, but it is partly funded here by the Swiss pharma industry. http://www.swissmedic.ch/

Right now most of Europe is placing warnings on packets and bottles of medicines defining how much impairment to drive or operate machinery, the patient might experience. I know from experience that "Night Nurse" is a very effective "over the counter" cold relief, but leaves me sleepy.

3000 medicines have been tested by pharmacists and categorised as:-
Green 0 - no effect, about 50% of total drugs
Yellow 1 - minimal effect on driving ability, about 26% of drugs
Orange 2 - moderate influence on abilty, around 11.2% of drugs
Red 3 - heavy influence on driving ability, about 5.8% of drugs
(About 7% could not be classified)

The above indications are being introduced on packets and bottles of EU medicines, and I would think this was an important improvement to personal safety. It has been discussed by the Swiss government and the idea was kicked around before being dropped in February 2010.

Swissmedic has stated the indications cannot be placed on Swiss boxes as there is not enough room on the carton! Maybe they should think outside the box and make it bigger?

"Bei Swissmedic heisst es dazu, für Warnhinweise habe es auf der Faltschachtel ohnehin keinen Platz."

http://www.beobachter.ch/leben-gesun...pille-zu-viel/

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Something else sprung to mind (and sorry for taking this OT) when I read your post. Let's say someone has to take some sort of medication which would impair his/her driving ability; since the Swiss license doesn't expire, people on those medications are able to drive regardless of any possible restrictions....

Forget Night Nurse (which incidentally, is the reason why Day Nurse came on the market) ..... bring back Contac 400 - 400 little time capsules keeping one high throughout the day.

.... and to finish, an exert from a letter I once wrote:

- "Dear Sirs

I have been smoking your product for many years, now, - and I still cant swim, play tennis, or ride a bike.

Yours faithfully ...... "

OK, how about on the paper insert inside the box !

They claim nobody reads that paper anyway, and the information is indeed often there, but there is not always a strong qualification.

The idea is that the pharmacist can point to the coloured pictogram, about driving restrictions, when he hands over the box.

Like the Night Nurse instructions, if taken before bed time, drugs might not impair driving the next day, but might be fatal taken just before driving. Experts believe the pharma drivers can be just as dangerous as drunken drivers.

In the magazine it states there is a possible prosecution for driving under the influence of pharmaceuticals. But there is no roadside test, and little public awareness. The DUI cases come to light usually after the serious accidents...