The State Food and Drug Administration recently issued an announcement that, according to the provisions of the "Measures for the Classification and Management of Prescription Drugs and Non-prescription Drugs (Trial)", after the State Food and Drug Administration organized the demonstration and review, the solid essence of the mixture was converted from a prescription drug to a non-prescription drug.
The reporter combed and found that up to now, 27 kinds of drugs have been converted from prescription drugs to over-the-counter drugs this year, including Chai Huang oral liquid, Ejiao capsules, desloratadine dispersible tablets, loratadine granules, Yinhuang dropping pills, Reyanning mixture, Zhongsheng capsules, Yinhuang lozenges, sleep and tranquility mixture, sedum anti-plaque tablets, Xinghe cough syrup, antiviral drop pills, acetaminophen oral disintegration tablets, Xiao Chai Hu granules, alpine rhodiola oral liquid, Zhongsheng tablets, Lianhua cough tablets, Yin and stomach capsules, children's Qi hawthorn oral liquid, etc. Among them, more than 20 drugs are proprietary Chinese medicines, which are the main varieties of prescription drugs converted to over-the-counter drugs.
The reporter learned that the "Drug Administration Law" stipulates that Class A non-prescription drugs can only be retailed in social pharmacies and medical institutions with a "Drug Business License" and equipped with licensed pharmacists or other qualified pharmacy technicians, and purchased and used under the guidance of licensed pharmacists or pharmacistsWhereas, Class B over-the-counter drugs can be purchased and used without the guidance of a physician or pharmacist. Industry insiders said that the conversion of prescription drugs to over-the-counter drugs will further reduce the relaxation of restrictions on the purchase of related drugs, and patients can purchase drugs from pharmacies and e-commerce platforms without a doctor's prescription, making it more convenient to purchase drugs, especially for patients who need to buy drugs for a long time.
Lu Yang, a professor of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, said that the conversion of prescription drugs to over-the-counter drugs is mainly due to the fact that in the process of long-term use, the efficacy of the drug is confirmed and the adverse reactions and related risks are low, so enterprises can apply for changes to "switch to over-the-counter drugs". In order to ensure the safety of medication, it is recommended that patients should still take it under the guidance of a professional physician or pharmacist when taking it for the first time or for a long time. (Reporter Meng Gang).