PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - P. P. Morgan
AU  - L. Cohen
TI  - Off the prescription pad and over the counter: the trend toward drug deregulation grows
DP  - 1995 Feb 01
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 387--389
VI  - 152
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/152/3/387.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/152/3/387.full
SO  - CMAJ1995 Feb 01; 152
AB  - In the future, regulatory agencies may authorize the switch of more drugs from prescription-only to over-the-counter status. This could have the double effect of reducing the number of doctor visits and cutting drug costs. Although some physicians worry about the escape of reasonably potent drugs from medical surveillance, pharmacists are assuming a more significant counselling and medication-tracking role. This article looks at the negative and positive sides of drug deregulation from the perspectives of the physician, pharmacist and patient.