What Happens When Most Drugs are OTC?

Abstract

Among the reasons that the OTC switch is occurring are an increased knowledge about drugs, and a greater consumer demand for more autonomy in the use of health care products. This rise in knowledge and personal autonomy correlates inversely with the public's perception of the power of physicians and directly with an increase in the efforts of society to avoid disease and maintain good health. The impact of this trend on the OTC drug market is that OTC drug use will rise in a linear fashion as life becomes characterized by more minor ailments and relatively fewer major chronic diseases.