FDA Hears Arguments on Behind-the-Counter Drugs

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration yesterday held a hearing to weigh the possibility of introducing a new class of drugs that would be sold from behind the counter. These medications would require consultation with pharmacists rather than doctors, similar to the way the emergency contraceptive Plan B is sold now. Representing retail pharmacy at the hearing was Steve Giroux, president of the National Community Pharmacists Association, Alexandria, Va., which recently found that member pharmacists regard the dispensing of BTC drugs as a natural extension of the pharmacy practice and are positively willing to take on the role. “NCPA strongly supports BTC, because it will increase patient access, reduce health care costs, increase interaction between the patient and pharmacists and have an overall positive impact on health care,” said Giroux. Some variation of BTC status is already in effect in other countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K., the FDA says.

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