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Increasing Access to Nonprescription Medicines: A Global Public Health Challenge and Opportunity
Author(s) -
Hemwall E L
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.2009.279
Subject(s) - alternative medicine , business , medicine , clinical pharmacology , public relations , health care , product (mathematics) , public health , pharmaceutical industry , pain relief , marketing , pharmacology , nursing , political science , law , geometry , mathematics , pathology , anesthesia
As escalating health‐care costs continue to be a focus of public discourse, the populace has become increasingly attentive to its own health and lifestyle choices. Nonprescription (over‐the‐counter, OTC) medicines represent an important option in this evolving environment and, through novel “Rx‐to‐OTC” switch efforts, could expand beyond their traditional role in symptomatic relief of common conditions such as minor pain, coughs, colds, heartburn, and allergy. This is certainly not a new concept. In fact, the self‐care movement has roots reaching into the past century. Pharmaceutical companies and their consumer‐product subsidiaries or partners have long considered and, when feasible, invested in difficult OTC switch development programs. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2010) 87 3, 267–269. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2009.279