Time Trends in Physician Visits for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Before and After the Rx-to-OTC Switch of Proton Pump Inhibitors.

The availability of non-prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines plays an important role in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system. Potential benefits to consumers of OTC drugs include increased access to effective medications, avoidance of unnecessary physician visits, as well as promoting increased patient autonomy and successful self-care.1 In addition, the availability of effective OTC medications for common conditions may be advantageous for the U.S. healthcare system by reducing the number of non-essential physician visits, while creating a more rational allocation of healthcare resources to manage more serious conditions and other healthcare priorities. Despite this theoretical benefit, the true impact of making medications available OTC on healthcare utilization is largely unknown. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved