Researchers in Waterford Institute of Technology are trying to figure out how to get the best out of codeine – without getting addicted to it.
The €2 million project, launched this week, will look into codeine use, misuse and dependence in Ireland, the UK and South Africa.
WIT is working with King’s College, London and the Medical Research Council in South Africa, as well as a number of chemists, including TV star Ramona Nicholas’ Cara Pharmacy.
An over-the-counter painkiller, cough suppressant and anti-diarrhoeal, codeine is the most-commonly used opiate in the world.
According to the researchers, its abuse potential is a major concern for medics, pharmacists and other treatment providers.