NEW research out of Canada has shown that almost $1 billion could be freed up from the country's healthcare system and the broader economy simply by switching three categories of medicine from prescription to over-the-counter.
The Canadian categories include erectile dysfunction drugs, oral contraceptives and proton pump inhibitors, with the savings including $458 million in drug costs, $290 million in doctor visits (6.6 million fewer appointments) and $290 million in labour productivity.
The report was released by the Conference Board of Canada, with the financial support of Consumer Health Products Canada.
The authors concluded that OTC switches can be an important policy tool for increasing access to medications, especially for drug categories for which a significant proportion of the population is untreated and the condition can be managed with limited doctor supervision.
Other consumer advantages cited include better knowledge of treatment options and greater empowerment to self-manage minor ailments.
"All Canadians would benefit from easier access to medicine they need and the reduced burden on our strained healthcare system," said Consumer Health Products Canada president Karen Proud.
"Allowing people to choose a trip to the pharmacy instead of missing work to see a doctor just makes sense," she said.
The report can be viewed online at selfcare.ca.
The Australian Self-Medication Industry welcomed the report, saying it reinforced a call for a 'Switch Agenda' made by ASMI chairman Lindsay Forrest at APP last week (PD yesterday).
APP also included a presentation by NZ Pharmacy Guild president Graeme Blanchard, who described the success of the New Zealand experience where some erectile dysfunction medications had been downscheduled, along with oral contraceptives.
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