Healthcare industry experts discuss the pros and cons.
As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers a new concept that would expand the definition of nonprescription drugs, healthcare experts say the proposed change could offer the healthcare industry both benefits and challenges.
The general idea
For some medications that usually require a prescription, FDA is considering a new paradigm that would allow those products to be distributed over the counter (OTC) if certain special conditions are met.
"It's all still to be determined, because anything that might fall into the potential new paradigm would be driven by the manufacturer or sponsor of that drug," said Marcie Bough, PharmD, senior director of government affairs for the American Pharmacists Association.
Possible benefits
"The primary benefit that we see is rechanneling poorly treated individuals with chronic conditions back into the healthcare system," said Brian Gallagher, RPh, JD, senior vice president of government affairs for the American Pharmacists Association.
Pharmacists Play Unique Role in Advancing Health Equity for Patients With Chronic Disease
December 7th 2023A new study, outlined in a poster at ASHP Midyear 2023, identified 3 key themes associated with the ways in which pharmacists are positioned to advance health equity for patients with chronic diseases.
Assessing Financial Impacts of Pharmacist-Led Interventions in Pediatric Ambulatory Care
December 5th 2023According to a poster abstract presented at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, specialty pharmacy services were used for a variety of conditions that have been reported in adult populations.