From prescription-only (Rx) to over-the-counter (OTC) status in Germany 2006-2015: pharmacological perspectives on regulatory decisions

摘要

Purpose Little is known about the extent of switches from prescription-only (Rx) to over-the-counter (OTC) status in Europe and about the pharmacological properties of the switched substances. The objectives of this study were to provide an overview of the substances that were switched from Rx to OTC status in Germany between 2006 and 2015 and to assess their pharmacological properties.