Schulke D G
Alliance Development and Regulatory Affairs, American Pharmaceutical Association, Washington, DC, USA.
Clin Ther. 1998;20 Suppl C:C124-33. doi: 10.1016/s0149-2918(98)80017-9.
Research was conducted by staff of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA), the national professional society of pharmacists, to inform the APhA policy process. Findings indicate that many consumers view products that were switched from prescription to over-the-counter (OTC) status as being more effective than products that have not previously been designated as prescription drugs, and they prefer to purchase switched products. Consumer purchases of switched products replace utilization of prescription drugs, physician visits, and laboratory services, but no data were found concerning increased utilization that may eventually result from foregone or delayed medical attention. Evidence exists that many comparatively well-informed consumers are knowingly using these products in a manner inconsistent with their labeling, and are using complementary and alternative medications for which labeling is uninformative in lieu of either prescription or OTC products. A need exists for more and better-quality pharmaceutical care services from pharmacists to support informed self-care decision making by consumers.
美国药剂师协会（APhA）的工作人员开展了一项研究，该协会是药剂师的全国专业协会，此项研究旨在为APhA的政策制定过程提供信息。研究结果表明，许多消费者认为从处方药转换为非处方药（OTC）的产品比以前未被指定为处方药的产品更有效，并且他们更愿意购买转换后的产品。消费者购买转换后的产品取代了处方药的使用、医生问诊和实验室服务，但未发现有关因放弃或延迟医疗护理最终可能导致的使用增加的数据。有证据表明，许多信息相对灵通的消费者故意以与其标签不符的方式使用这些产品，并且正在使用标签信息不足的补充和替代药物来代替处方药或非处方药产品。药剂师需要提供更多且质量更高的药学服务，以支持消费者做出明智的自我护理决策。
