CONCLUSION

Why do I want high dose iron medication to be dispensed only on prescription?

• To restrict uncontrolled use of iron tablets.
• To "force" medical practitioners to follow up those patients who are treated with high iron doses by measurements of the iron stores.

Because:

• 5 ‰ and 15 % of the population may have homozygous and heterozygous primary haemochromatosis, respectively.
• Adult men and postmenopausal women have low iron needs which can be covered by the usual diet. Especially men have increasing iron stores with age.
• More than 100 diseases related to oxygen radicals are identified. Iron and copper catalyze toxic redox reactions which may result in cell damage.
  We know enough to practise a precautionary attitude - see article in Norwegian in Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening: Bør jernpreparater reseptbelegges? .