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Background: This paper reviews the regulations of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in 30 European countries with the goal of identifying the regulatory trends and clusters as of May 2022. Methods: To that end, we reviewed the regulation that directly or indirectly might have an impact on OTC medicines. The data were gathered from the national legislation, reports from international organizations, and the existent literature. The 12 regulatory items obtained were classified into four categories: price, pharmacy ownership, distribution modes, and dispensing restrictions. In addition, these items were also employed in the cluster analysis. Results: Pharmacy ownership is mainly private, and in the majority of countries, OTC medicines are not subject to any pricing system. Almost every country studied allows online selling of OTC medicines, and 16 countries allow non-pharmacy retail to sell OTC medicines as well. The dispensing restrictions applicable in pharmacy retail are similar in the countries studied: they rely on the staff, OTC medicines are placed behind the counter and the doses dispensed tend to be restricted. Concerning non-pharmacy retail, additional dispensing restrictions might be imposed, such as the establishment of buyers' minimum age, the requirement of a pharmacist to supervise the operations, a regulation on the location in the store, and further restrictions on the package sizes, strength, or pharmaceutical form. The cluster analysis resulted in an initial division between countries that widely allow the sale of OTC medicines in non-pharmacy retail and countries, where pharmacy retail has an OTC monopoly. Based on the regulations, 7 subsequent groups were identified evidencing wide regulatory heterogeneity within the countries studied. Conclusions: Our findings point out that OTC medicines are in general not subject to pricing systems, selling is allowed online, and ownership of pharmacies is mostly private. However, regarding dispensing restrictions, pharmacy chains, and establishment restrictions of pharmacies, we found heterogeneity that is also visible in our cluster analysis, since we identified 7 clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to improve understanding of medicine safety knowledge among 6th grade students before and after participation in the OTC Literacy program. Methods: Among 1031 students attending 17 schools, the percentage of correct responses was calculated for total score and each learning objective; paired t-tests assessed pre-/post-program performance. Results: Program participation improved medicine-related knowledge in total score, for boys and girls, and in each type of school locale (ps < .001). Conclusions: Students who participated in the OTC Literacy program increased their medicine-related knowledge about safe, responsible use of OTC medicines in a variety of school locales. Early education can improve knowledge and may decrease medicine errors and misuse by fostering good life-long habits and attitudes about medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The modern pharmaceutical care is supposed to meet numerous demands resulting from the presence and broad availability of OTC medicines. In this case the pharmacist becomes the primary advisor as for the application of medicines which are not prescribed by a doctor. Aim. The aim of the study was to recognize the position of pharmacists employed in the pharmacy towards pharmaceutical care, possibilities to conduct it and barriers of its implementation. Material and method. The researchers conducted a survey with elements of a questionnaire interview. The number of 186 pharmacists who work in pharmacies in the province of Lublin took part in the research. Results. The surveyed perceive the benefits of performing pharmaceutical care: increased prestige of the profession, greater satisfaction with their job - 44.9% choices for each; increase of the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy (54.6%) and treatment (44.3%). The major barriers to introducing pharmaceutical care include insufficient education of pharmacists (33.7%) and lack of solid co-operation with the doctor (32.6%). Conclusions. Pharmacists are aware of the importance of pharmaceutical care, although they identify a number of barriers which hinder its effective introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retail sales of over the counter (OTC) medications have risen steadily over the years; however, these products are not without potential risk. The aim of this study was to describe the marketing strategies used to promote OTC medicines to children and their parents. Data were collected from 187 product packaging of fever reducer, allergy, and cough medicines posted on the Internet sites of three of the largest pharmacies in the United States. Specific marketing information was collected related to flavorings and pictures appearing on the packaging. There was no significant difference between the type of medicine and whether they were flavored or not, as almost every product (95.7 %) indicated that it resembles a food flavoring. On almost all the packaging (92.5 %) the flavor was also indicated by words in different font sizes. Most of the products (83.4 %) showed a picture of a food product on their packaging. There was a significant difference between the medicine types by picture, with fever medicines having more pictures of food than either cough or allergy medicine. Stronger regulations of marketing strategies of these products are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treating the symptoms of colds and flu in patients with concomitant chronic conditions can be a difficult task. Pharmacists have to consider the effects of the medication on the chronic underlying disease, and also the possibility of drug-drug interactions. This article discusses the use of over-the-counter medication for the treatment of cold and flu symptoms in patients with chronic conditions, and important considerations to ensure effective management of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irrational prescribing of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in general practice is common in Southern Europe. Recent findings from a research project funded by the European Commission (FP7), the "OTC SOCIOMED", conducted in seven European countries, indicate that physicians in countries in the Mediterranean Europe region prescribe medicines to a higher degree in comparison to physicians in other participating European countries. In light of these findings, a feasibility study has been designed to explore the acceptance of a pilot educational intervention targeting physicians in general practice in various settings in the Mediterranean Europe region. Methods: This feasibility study utilized an educational intervention was designed using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). It took place in geographically-defined primary care areas in Cyprus, France, Greece, Malta, and Turkey. General Practitioners (GPs) were recruited in each country and randomly assigned into two study groups in each of the participating countries. The intervention included a one-day intensive training programme, a poster presentation, and regular visits of trained professionals to the workplaces of participants. Reminder messages and email messages were, also, sent to participants over a 4-week period. A pre- and post-test evaluation study design was employed. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected at pre- and post-intervention phases. The primary outcome of this feasibility pilot intervention was to reduce GPs' intention to provide medicines following the educational intervention, and its secondary outcomes included a reduction of prescribed medicines following the intervention, as well as an assessment of its practicality and acceptance by the participating GPs. Results: Median intention scores in the intervention groups were reduced, following the educational intervention, in comparison to the control group. Descriptive analysis of related questions indicated a high overall acceptance and perceived practicality of the intervention programme by GPs, with median scores above 5 on a 7-point Likert scale. Conclusions: Evidence from this intervention will help determine the most relevant variables and estimate the parameters required to design a larger study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of such educational interventions. In addition, it could also help inform health policy makers and decision makers regarding the management of behavioural changes in the prescribing patterns of physicians in Mediterranean Europe, particularly in Southern European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the FDA's current review of its regulatory approach to nonprescription medicines, it is necessary for stakeholders to contribute to the ongoing discourse. Reclassification of prescription medicines to over-the-counter status is an important topic attracting the attention of many in the United States and elsewhere. This article presents a detailed examination of FDA's application of switch regulatory policy, the use of innovative consumer communication and education tools in the OTC environment and overall public health impact of the switch using the Nicorette case as an example. Post switch evidence shows that OTC reclassification of Nicorette achieved the anticipated goal of balancing increased access with decreased control in the OTC atmosphere resulting in a positive public health outcome in the area of smoking control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]