Medical Staff

FDA considers new non-prescription category of drugs

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, October 10, 2007

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it may create a new category of drugs that would be available without prescription at drugstores, but only consumers consulted with a pharmacist, Reuters reported on its Web site October 3.

According to various news reports, some of the routine medicines in the proposed new category would include birth control pills, cholesterol drugs, and migraine medicine.

The effort is expected to meet resistance from opponents who believe this new alternative could lead to medication misuse. However, the FDA says the new concept will help patients without health insurance access medication otherwise not available.

The FDA will hold a public meeting on November 14 to hear feedback about the "behind the counter" concept, which could make some drugs now available by prescription more widely accessible to patients.

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