Diabetes In Control. A free weekly diabetes newsletter for Medical Professionals. News and information for Medical Professionals.
OTC Meds for Diabetes, Hypertension and Cholesterol – You’ve Got to Be Kidding!
This week we have an interesting item (Item #3, Diabetes and Statin Meds May Become Available without a Prescription) about the FDA’s idea to make diabetes, cholesterol and hypertensive medications available over the counter. Their thought is that if patients could get these medications without a prescription that they would be more likely to take them. I have to take issue with this idea. As a pharmacist I know that most patients do not adhere to medication regimens for long periods, and I have also seen how patients tend to be more persistent at taking their medications the closer to seeing their prescriber. A study done by Burke, TA, et al and published in the Journal Hypertension in 2006 showed that as many as 93% of all patients will stop their regimens within the first decade of diagnosis. (See slide.)
Now the FDA, the same people who have had the most conservative attitude about approving medications, want to let patients buy these medications over the counter. They have got to be kidding!
We all know the potential dangers of these medications: how will patients even know what to choose or what strength to select? In addition will they ever go get a lab test, will they know what the side effects are or when to be concerned about mixing drugs?
For years we have heard about a third class of drugs that would be pharmacist dispensed without a prescription and when I first heard the idea that these meds would be available over the counter I figured that you would come to the pharmacy, speak to a pharmacist, and then they would choose the appropriate medication for you but the FDA, the same people that recently blew simvastatin 80 out of most patients profiles because of side effect potential, does not think you even need to interact with a pharmacist. Their idea is that you can just walk up to a self-serve kiosk use the touchscreen pad or watch an interactive video and then be ready to select your drug. Who knows, in a couple of years patients may be able to watch a video and then do their own bypass procedure.
Public hearings are coming in the future and hopefully the medical associations will be there to voice their objections.
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Do you know what the most important 9 seconds of an office visit are? Last week we were very excited to introduce a new series of Clinical Texts in our Mastery Series from the Joslin Diabetes Center’s Joslin’s Diabetes Deskbook, A Guide for Primary Care Providers, Updated 2nd Ed.. Click here to read the first in the series, What Are the Five Steps to Patient Adherence? and stay tuned for more!
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Dave Joffe, Editor-in-chief