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Over the Counter
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 Over
the Counter self
medicating is
prevalent in the
United States and
other countries.
It's widely accepted
to go to a local
pharmacy and buy the
medication to
alleviate unwanted
conditions. The FDA
has approved these
medications for over
the counter use with
just a number of
limitations.
According the FDA
Office of
Nonprescription
Products,
"Over-the-counter
(OTC) drugs play an
increasingly vital
role in America's
health care system.
OTC drug products
are those drugs that
are available to
consumers without a
prescription. There
are more than 80
therapeutic
categories of OTC
drugs, ranging from
acne drug products
to weight control
drug products. As
with prescription
drugs, CDER [Center
for Drug Evaluation
and Research]
oversees OTC drugs
to ensure that they
are properly labeled
and that their
benefits outweigh
their risks."
According to the
FDA, OTC drugs
generally have these
characteristics:
their benefits
outweigh their
risks;
the potential for
misuse and abuse is
low; consumer can
use them for
self-diagnosed
conditions; they can
be adequately
labeled; health
practitioners are
not needed for the
safe and effective
use of the product.
Drug manufacturers
such as Merck & Co
spend not only
billions of dollars
annually to
advertise to
consumers, but their
seemingly endless
resources to lobby
for lesser
restrictions on
their medications.
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Over the
Counter
Limitations
 While
the FDA has
approved
medications
without
prescriptions,
there are a
number of
medications
that are
only
obtainable
through the
pharmacist.
For example,
the
emergency
contraceptive
Plan B, may
only be sold
once the
patient has
verified she
is old
enough to
purchase it;
or cold and
allergy
medicines
containing
the
decongestant
pseudoephedrine
must be sold
behind the
counter
since
Congress
passed a law
restricting
sales
because the
drugs are
used to make
methamphetamine. |
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Responsibility
Open any
national
magazine or
newspaper
and chances
are you'll
find a full
page
advertisement
for over the
counter
medications
for
allergies,
sleep aides
or pain
relievers.
Although the
FDA may
approve
medications
for direct
consumer
consumption,
the
responsibility
to use the
medications
properly
still lies
with the
consumer.
Mis-use and
abuse can
occur when
not used
properly
leading down
the road to
addiction
perhaps with
stronger
means to
achieve the
same
results.
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Prescription
Drug Abuse
in the
Elderly
According to
an article
written by
Cathy Meyer,
legal
investigator
in the area
of Family
and Divorce
Law, "An
advancing
number of
drug abusers
are addicted
to, not
illegal
drugs, but
to medically
prescribed
drugs. An
even more
startling
fact is that
among those
abusing
prescription
medications
are the
elderly.
Incorrectly
following
the
instructions
on the
medication
bottle,
mixing
medications,
forgetting
to take
medicines,
and an
inhibition
to ask for
assistance
are all
common
attributes
amongst
elderly
people that
contribute
to the abuse
of
prescription
medications.
Although
this kind of
abuse is
common in
the elderly,
it is
frequently
misdiagnosed
by
physicians
and goes
unnoticed by
family
members." |
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If
you or someone you
know has become
addicted to over the
counter medications,
call our toll free
number (877) 340-3602. |
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