Over-the-counter medicines: their place in self-care

This chapter reviews the legal regulation of treatment of depression as it exists in England and Wales, where medicinal products are regulated largely by the Medicines Act 1988 and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Medicines Act divides medicinal products into pharmacy only medicines, which can only be purchased under the supervision of a pharmacist, over-the-counter medicines, and prescription only medicines. The Misuse of Drugs Act is concerned with controlled drugs. These are divided into three classes according to their perceived degree of harmfulness. This chapter considers treatment with valid consent and two pieces of legislation that govern people who are sufficiently ill and need to be admitted to hospital: the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). It also discusses treatment of mentally incapacitated patients and the issue of liberty regarding the admission of a compliant but incapacitated patient to hospital. Finally, it looks at three types of non-medical prescribing in England, issued by independent prescribers, supplementary prescribers, and community practitioners.

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Future Pharmacists’ Opinions on the Facilitation of Self-Care with Over-the-Counter Products and Whether This Should Remain a Core Role

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy9030132 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 132

Author(s):

Lezley-Anne Hanna ◽

Alana Murphy ◽

Maurice Hall ◽

Rebecca Craig

Keyword(s):

Emergency Contraception ◽

Self Care ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Single Institution ◽

Self Medication ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Otc Medicines ◽

Practice Methods ◽

Identifiable Data

Background: The aim was to investigate pharmacy students’ views on the role of the pharmacist in facilitating self-care with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, particularly in light of new roles, and establish personal practice. Methods: Final year pharmacy students at Queen’s University Belfast were invited to participate. Data were collected via a pre-piloted questionnaire, distributed at a compulsory class (only non-identifiable data were requested). Descriptive statistics were performed, and non-parametric tests were employed for inferential statistical analysis (responses by gender). Results: The response rate was 87.6% (78/89); 34.6% (27/78) males and 65.4% (51/78) females. Over a third [34.6% (27/78)] reported using OTC medicines about once a month. All appreciated the importance of an evidence-based approach to optimize patient care. Most [(96.2% (75/78)] deemed OTC consultations should remain a fundamental responsibility of pharmacists and 69.2% (54/78) thought OTC consultations have the potential to be as complex as independent pharmacist prescribing. Females felt more confident recommending OTC emergency contraception than males (p = 0.002 for levonorgestrel and p = 0.011 for ulipristal acetate). Many [61.5% (48/78)] considered more medicines should not be deregulated from prescription-only status. Conclusions: Data from this single institution suggests that enabling self-medication is an important part of practice but there were confidence issues around deregulations.

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Medicine reclassification processes and regulations for proper use of over-the-counter self-care medicines in Japan

Risk Management and Healthcare Policy ◽

10.2147/rmhp.s98099 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol Volume 9 ◽

pp. 173-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kaori Nomura ◽

Yuki Kitagawa ◽

Yasukatsu Yuda ◽

Hiromi Takano-Ohmuro

Keyword(s):

Self Care ◽

Over The Counter

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Factors that influence Italian consumers’ understanding of over-the-counter medicines and risk perception

Patient Education and Counseling ◽

10.1016/j.pec.2011.10.003 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 87 (3) ◽

pp. 395-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Andrea Calamusa ◽

Alessandra Di Marzio ◽

Renza Cristofani ◽

Paola Arrighetti ◽

Vincenzo Santaniello ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Perception ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Over The Counter Medicines

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Use of over-the-counter medicines for young children in Australia

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health ◽

10.1111/j.1440-1754.2009.01609.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 46 (1-2) ◽

pp. 5-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Misel Trajanovska ◽

Elizabeth Manias ◽

Noel Cranswick ◽

Linda Johnston

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Over The Counter Medicines

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Regulatory standards and processes for over-the-counter availability of hormonal contraception and drugs for medical abortion in five countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Health Research Policy and Systems ◽

10.1186/s12961-020-00661-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Anne Ammerdorffer ◽

Mark Laws ◽

Arinze Awiligwe ◽

Florence Erb ◽

Wallada Im-Amornphong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Health System ◽

Emergency Contraception ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Self Care ◽

Medical Abortion ◽

Health System Strengthening ◽

World Health ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Regulatory Status

AbstractThe World Health Organization 2019 WHO consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health: sexual and reproductive health and rights includes recommendations on self-administration of injectable contraception, over-the-counter (OTC) oral contraception and self-management of medical abortion. A review of the regulatory status of these two self-care interventions can highlight processes required to ensure that the quality of the medicines and safety of individuals are safeguarded in the introduction and scale-up in countries. This review outlines the legal regulatory status of prescription-only medicine (POM) and OTC contraceptives, including emergency contraception, and drugs for medical abortion in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia using information obtained from internet searches, regulatory information databases and personal contacts. In addition, the review examines whether the national medicines regulatory authorities have documented procedures available to allow for a change in status from a POM to OTC to allow for increased accessibility, availability and uptake of self-care interventions recommended by WHO. Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have a documented national OTC list available. The only contraceptive product mentioned in the OTC lists across all five countries is ellaOne (ulipristal acetate for emergency contraception), which is publicly registered in Lebanon. None of the five countries has an official documented procedure to apply for the change of POM to OTC. Informal procedures exist, such as the ability to apply to the national medicines regulatory authority for OTC status if the product has OTC status in the original country of manufacture. However, many of these procedures are not officially documented, highlighting the need for establishing sound, affordable and effective regulation of medical products as an important part of health system strengthening. From a public health perspective, it would be advantageous for licensed products to be available OTC. This is particularly the case for settings where the health system is under-resourced or over-stretched due to health emergencies. Readiness of national regulatory guidelines and OTC procedures could lead to increased access, availability and usage of essential self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

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