US Call For OTC Status After 10 Years

Prescription drug products should be granted automatic over-the-counter status once they have been on the market for 10 years or reached 100 million prescriptions, according to Sam Peltzman, a professor of economics at the Univeristy of Chicago.

The switch should be automatic, unless the Food and Drug Administration is able to demonstrate reasons why the product should remain prescription-only, Prof Peltzman told a conference in Washington, adding that studies of existing switch products have revealed "overwhelming benefits" to consumers.