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U.S. to Make More Drugs Easily Available, Cutting Role Docs Play

posted by mrpg on Thursday July 19 2018, @09:09AM   Printer-friendly
from the nobody-thinks-of-the-doctors dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Bloomberg:

Americans may soon be able to get cholesterol-lowering medications and other widely used prescription drugs without seeing a doctor, a first step in what could amount to sweeping changes to how patients access treatments for chronic conditions.

The Food and Drug Administration in a draft guideline on Tuesday outlined how such a status, which the agency said could help lower health-care costs, would work. Patients could answer questions on a mobile-phone app to help determine whether they should be able to access a medication without a prescription.

"Our hope is that the steps we're taking to advance this new, more modern framework will contribute to lower costs for our health care system overall and provide greater efficiency and empowerment for consumers by increasing the availability of certain products that would otherwise be available only by prescription," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement.

Order your drugs from a smartphone app.

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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 19 2018, @02:29PM (2 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday July 19 2018, @02:29PM (#709411) Journal

    So - uhhh - let me cross examine you just a little bit. In Texas, I can get pseudephedrine, in limited quantities, without a prescription, today? If so, I simply didn't know it. I only live 25 miles from New Boston, Tx. Here in Arkansas, I was flat out told that I couldn't get it without a script, quite a number of years ago. So, I didn't even try to get any, unless the doctor filled out his paperwork.

    If so, I'll be making a quick trip to either New Boston, or Texarkana, soon, just to get a bottle. I don't care that it's limited quantities - I don't plan on misusing the stuff. I certainly have no interest in meth!!

    Starting Score:    1  point
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 19 2018, @05:10PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 19 2018, @05:10PM (#709505)

    You can. It's a behind the counter drug, so you have to go to the pharmacy counter, you'll need an ID, and they limit the amount you can buy per month (they do track it). Pain in the butt, but better than nothing.

    • (Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday July 19 2018, @10:24PM

      by bzipitidoo (4388) on Thursday July 19 2018, @10:24PM (#709634) Journal

      Correct. They will ask to see your driver's license so they can flag it in case you try to go to another store and buy more on the same day. Might want to call first, check if an AR license is acceptable before driving over.

      I don't recall the limit either, think 20 pills per person per day. Bring several adults with IDs with you, and they will let you have 20 pills per person, all at once.