In an effort to curb costs, officials with the Food and Drug Administration may soon allow patients to get certain types of medications without having to worry about obtaining a prescription.
The new over the counter distribution method being considered by officials will encompass such drugs as diabetes and high blood pressure medications. The FDA is hoping that implementing this new method will make things easy for those on Medicare, as these persons would no longer have to fret over the expenses that a doctor’s visit might create. However, it should be noted that many people would still feel some type of added cost, as many insurance companies don’t cover over the counter drugs.
The new system would work by letting a patient obtain certain drugs by filling out a questionnaire at their local pharmacy or online. Kiosks could be used to diagnose such conditions as allergies, certain infections, asthma, and more.
Some question the safety of this move, saying that the FDA ought to prove that such a system would not hinder patient care by the patients administering medicine on their own. Comments are due to the FDA by May 7, at which point officials will review what has been said and make a decision. There is no time frame on that, however.
I’ll be following this story closely as a San Francisco personal injury lawyer. This could have far reaching implications for the entire country, not just a personal injury attorney in Long Beach like me. No matter what decision is reached, I just hope it makes the country a little safer.