Five Reasons Why Some Prescription Drugs Are Eventually Sold Over-The-Counter

Spring has sprung and as a seasonal allergy sufferer, my nose knows all too well about it! Over the past few years I've been lucky enough to escape having to take anti-allergy medication. In the past, when my allergies have really gotten debilitating, I used to make an appointment with a doctor and get a prescription for Allegra, a popular drug used for combating the coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and itchiness that comes from seasonal allergies. The doctor would check me out, ask me about my symptoms, and hand over the prescription, which I would then get filled at my local pharmacy. But this year, should my symptoms become unbearable, I won't have to see a doctor. Allegra has now been made available over-the-counter. How convenient, right?

It's true that being able to buy effective drugs without a prescription can be a huge convenience. If you don't need a scrip, you can just order your medication online or pick some up at the drug store without having to get checked out by a doctor. And not having to go to the doctor can save you time and maybe some money, depending on whether or not you have health insurance. But there are other reasons why formerly prescription only drugs are offered over-the-counter. Here are five reasons why some drugs go over-the-counter; judge for yourself as to whether or not the reasons are in your best interest.

Reason #1- The drug is intended for a condition that is easy to self diagnose.

According to an article published by the British Medical Journal, prescription drugs tend to be reclassified as non-prescription when "it is used for a non-chronic condition that is relatively easy to self diagnose and has low potential for harm" (Cohen, 2004). Most people who suffer from a condition like seasonal allergies know what it feels like when allergies strike. Allergies can make sufferers miserable enough that they just want quick relief without having to visit a doctor. So medications like Claritin and Allegra, which are used to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies, can be made available to the public without the need for a doctor's prescription.

Reason #2- The drug is popular.

If an effective prescription drug has been used safely by a large number of people over a long period of time, it makes some sense to make it available without a prescription. But it makes even more sense, particularly to a drug manufacturer, to make their drug available without a prescription if the drug happens to be popular. When medications are put on a shelf for the general public to choose at will, drug companies stand to sell more of their product. That's why pharmaceutical companies sometimes lobby to get their products available over-the-counter. The formerly prescription drug Claritin became available over-the-counter in December 2002. Since then, it has become more popular than ever and accounts for billions of dollars in sales for its manufacturer, Schering-Plough.

According to a consumer drug safety organization called Generics Are Powerful Medicine, many consumers are under the impression that over-the-counter drugs are safer than prescription drugs are. That impression may also encourage consumers to purchase popular drugs.

Reason #3- The drug is expensive.

Pharmaceutical companies are not the only stakeholders in the drug sales game. Health insurers may also be eager to see prescription drugs become available without a prescription. That's because insurance companies don't have to help pay for non-prescription drugs, nor do they have to pay for the routine doctor visits required in order to get a prescription. Popular drugs like Pepcid AC and Zyrtec, which used to only be available by prescription, cost health insurers a lot of money in co-pays. Now that they can be purchased without a prescription, health insurance companies can pass those expenses on to the consumer. Of course, paying for an over-the-counter drug might be more expensive for the consumer than paying for the prescription version using health insurance.

Reason #4- The drug's patent is about to expire.

Pharmaceutical companies that discover a new drug get a patent that prohibits any other company to manufacture their drug. However, the patents only last for a limited amount of time. When the patent expires, generic equivalents can be made, which can hurt the original pharmaceutical company's sales. To get around this situation, drug companies will often lobby to get the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow their drug to be sold over the counter. At the same time, the drug companies may come up with new or similar versions of the drug that may only be sold with a prescription. Consumers might be enticed to buy the over the counter version because it's convenient and doesn't require a doctor's visit.

Reason #5- The drug is easy to use, but not to abuse.

In order for a formerly prescription only drug to be made available over-the-counter, the FDA must find that it is easy to use and unlikely to be abused. Popular drugs like Prilosec, Allegra, and Zantac used to be available only by prescription, but they were found to be safe and easy to use and unlikely to be misused. These drugs do not generally affect people in such a way that they would want to use them recreationally. So they were approved for over-the-counter sales and have been making money for their manufacturers ever since.

Be careful

For the most part, I'm mostly happy that so many drugs that used to be available only be prescription can now be purchased over-the-counter. I hate going to the doctor and a lot of the drugs I use for minor ailments are very effective. However, over-the-counter drugs can be harmful if they are combined with certain other substances. If you take several medications, you should definitely check with a doctor or a pharmacist to be sure that your drugs can be safely taken together.

Moreover, the convenience of using over-the-counter drugs might prevent some consumers from necessary evaluations by a physician. For instance, if you have chronic heartburn and take Pepcid AC every day to lessen the symptoms, you may not be visiting your doctor to find out what's causing the heartburn. Heartburn is an annoying problem, but it can be a sign that there's something more serious going on that needs a doctor's attention. That's why it's important to read drug labels carefully and see a physician if an annoying symptom is persistent.

Sources

Cohen, Joshua P., Paquette, Cherie (January 1, 2005) "Switching Prescription Drugs to Over-The-Counter" British Medical Journal Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539854/

Jacobs, Lori R. (May 1, 1998). "Prescription to Over-The-Counter Drug Reclassification" Academy Family Physician Retrieved from: http://www.aafp.org/afp/980501ap/jacobs.html

Nelson, Kristi (January 27, 2011) "Allegra Joins Zyrtec, Claritin, as over-the-counter antihistamines" Retrieved from: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jan/27/allegra-joins-zyrtec-claritin-over--counter-antihi/?partner=RSS

Generics Are Powerful Medicine "How do drugs go from being prescription-only to being available over-the-counter?" Retrieved from http://www.genericsarepowerful.org/learn?id=0010