New UK Self-Medication Study

7 November 1994

The majority of the UK population does not believe that more medicines should be made available over-the-counter without a prescription, according to new research carried out by the Reader's Digest.

Out of 2,000 people who took part in the magazine's Progressive Research Into Self-medication (PRISM 94) study, 51% did not support more prescription to OTC switching. Their reasons included the superior authority of the general practitioner, confusion at the range of products available and the fear that children could get hold of them too easily, to concern that the commercial aspect could become overriding, with pharmacists pushing brand names irrespective of whether or not these were the best choice.

43% of those polled did feel that more medicines should be made available OTC. Their reasons included cost-saving, taking some of the strain off GP workloads and cutting back on unnecessary prescriptions, and the belief that pharmacists are better qualified than they used to be, and have more time than doctors.

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