otc stuff

[laughing-dreams.livejournal.com]

so well while i'm so uber happy that plan b is available otc (specially with the recent post that it is currently otc in california me being a proud californian) i was wondering why the US FDA hasn't approved something as simple as Diflucan for OTC? I mean there are so many OTC yeast infection drugs but they are all topical and can be kinda nasty, why not make Diflucan otc?especially if plan B is safe enough to be OTC, why isn't a yeast infection drug?
just random pondering

Comments

[xdreamsofdramax.livejournal.com]

My opinion on this would be that they want you to make sure you really have a YI before using diflucan. There are some things that you can get OTC for YIs, but they want to keep the stronger meds only available after you make sure you really do have a YI and not something else.

[tirlasutaa.livejournal.com]

There've been many drugs (the lice shampoo, Claritin, etc.) that were eventually made OTC, so it could simply be a matter of time. It also helps to have a doc that doesn't require an appt for every little thing too in the interim.

[roseyposey01.livejournal.com]

I agree with the comment above and doctors are worried about making things like antibiotics OTC because people will take them when something else is wrong or nothing is wrong and this will build up your tolerance to antibiotics. I've also heard of women getting super strong yeast infections because they've used OTC's for it but it wasn't strong enough to make it go away. Not necessarily the same situation, but you get what I mean. Other things can look like YI's as well and they probably want to make sure that's what you have first.

[roseyposey01.livejournal.com]

I meant I agree with xdreamsofdramax. :)

[laughing-dreams.livejournal.com]

Diflucan is not an antibiotic, i would never suggest making an antibiotic OTC, besides antibiotics can worsen YI's

[roseyposey01.livejournal.com]

Sorry! I knew that, but was using it as an example. I guess I figured if someone used diflucan without having a YI that it might make their tolerance worse next time. But I guess I don't really know enough about the drug's make up to determine that. Either way, I agree that many things can present as a YI and they probably would want it to be diagnosed first. However...I get your point that there are already things like monistat out there...hmm...maybe eventually it'll be OTC.

[mmmmhmmm.livejournal.com]

Actually, Diflucan *is* an antibiotic. Just an anti-fungal kind. It seems kinda backwards, since everybody knows antibiotic can CAUSE YIs, but it's true.

And I think the reason it's not available OTC is that (according to some recent studies) about 60% of women who diagnose themselves with a YI...? DON'T HAVE ONE. They have BV or something else. The other drugs that are OTC are mostly easy to self-diagnose for (I have a headache. I have PMS. I have a cold.) or aren't super powerful.

I think having Monistat OTC is pretty dumb too, if the studies are right. I've also read things that connect using harsh OTC yeast treatments to the development of Vulvodynia and other bad stuff...

[roseyposey01.livejournal.com]

Ah makes sense.

[binaryprecision.livejournal.com]

I agree: this is the most glaring reason to not make it OTC!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_norma_jeane_/]

Everyone has pretty much hit the nail on the head, but I want to add that while Plan B *is* over the counter, there are limitations on it. It's currently only available to women over the age of 18, and it is kept behind the counter at the pharmacy. It's not as simple as simply walking into Wal-Greens, strolling down to the condom aisle and picking up a Plan B along with a box of condoms and some KY.

[poppleshatesyou.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about this, so don't quote me but isn't diflucan OTC in other countries? (and by over the counter i mean you have to ask the pharmacist for it) I'm pretty sure Australia does as well as the UK. It doesn't really make much sense if you ask me, i've had to use monistat before and it burned like holy hell (when i really did have a yeast infection), so it can't be that much more harmful then using Difulcan whether you are mis diagnosing yourself or not. thats just my 2 cents.

[jananaphone.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but I couldn't get Diflucan when I had thrush (oh my god OW) and a YI at the same time until I saw my doctor, which took a really long time (something like a week, or maybe more). I cannot eat Monistat! I was pissed and in pain. Yuck.

[bohemian21.livejournal.com]

I believe it also has something to do with the fact that Diflucan is not currently available as a generic. Most of the time when a prescription drug goes OTC, it's only after a generic version of the active ingredient [in this case, fluconazole] is available by prescription. And generics aren't available until the patent held by the manufacturer comes out.

While a drug company can apply for their drug to become OTC at any time, this is the route it usually takes.

♥

[xorangejuice.livejournal.com]

It's available generically in Canada :)

[ticktockman.livejournal.com]

Diflucan carries much more risk than Plan B. It can destroy your liver, and people have died from this. It's not a good candidate for over-the-counter use at all. A physician needs to screen the patient for conditions that would make the patient more likely to suffer serious side effects, and the physician needs to be available in case the side effects occur.

1) Hepatic injury: Fluconazole has been associated with rare cases of serious hepatic toxicity, including fatalities primarily in patients with serious underlying medical conditions. In cases of fluconazole associated hepatotoxicity, no obvious relationship to total daily dose, duration of therapy, sex or age of the patient has been observed. Fluconazole hepatotoxicity has usually, but not always, been reversible on discontinuation of therapy. Patients who develop abnormal liver function tests during fluconazole therapy should be monitored for the development of more severe hepatic injury. Fluconazole should be discontinued if clinical signs and symptoms consistent with liver disease develop that may be attributable to fluconazole.

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/flucon_wcp.htm

*daha*