They include drugs for pain, allergies, asthma, migraines, insomnia and heartburn. But, in every case, the OTC drug outstrips the prescription in the number of drugs sold, though not in dollars generated. The analysis also shows that side effects of OTC drugs cause thousands of preventable deaths every year, as well as increased rates of bone fractures in the elderly, learning impairment in children and ulcers in the general population. Most people don't understand how ease of access is hugely important in determining what drugs people actually use. The Food and Drug Administration will hold a hearing this week that will examine, among other issues, whether regulators should be more assertive in moving some prescription drugs over the counter.
Many new drugs have fewer side effects than old ones.
This development is an outgrowth of scientific advances in genetics and chemistry that allow drugmakers to more precisely target a drug's action in the body. Those developments have created a topsy-turvy world in which many of the safest drugs require a doctor's prescription, while older drugs with potentially dangerous side effects can be bought at any grocery store. But the non-prescription drug industry worries that forcing drugs over the counter against the desire of manufacturers is not in the public's best interest and could discourage investment in new drugs. If you think about it, the manufacturer has the safety data, the treatment profiles, all the information to know when a switch makes sense. Nobody knows the molecule better than the manufacturer.