Physicians' attitudes toward reclassifying drugs as over-the-counter.
OBJECTIVE
Releasing prescription drugs over-the-counter (OTC) has been a trend in many Western countries. The purpose of this study was to find out about Finnish physicians' attitudes towards OTC switches and to find out whether transfer of drugs that are used in a doctor's own area of specialty increases negative attitudes toward release. For the latter purpose, gynecologists' perceptions about the availability of vaginal antifungal OTC drugs was studied.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire to a representative random sample of gynecologists (n = 169) and general practitioners (GPs) (n = 288) in six counties in Finland in 1996. After a reminder, the response rate was 77% (n = 341). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship of factors to attitudes toward OTC drugs.


RESULTS
The overall attitude toward the availability of OTC drugs was moderately positive but was more reserved toward those drugs only recently given OTC status. However, physicians were judged in many cases to be the most suitable source of information on OTC drugs. GPs working in health centers, more often than other physicians, found drugs suitable for self medication. Our hypothesis about gynecologists being against the release of vaginal antifungal drugs was not supported.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians' views about OTC drugs are influenced by the current OTC status of the drug and by public discussion. The place of work has an important influence on these opinions, most likely reflecting the effect of case mix and patient load.
Sihvo
S
S
Stakes (National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health), University of Helsinki, Department of Public Health, Finland. sinikka.sihvo@stakes.fi
Hemminki
E
E
Ahonen
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017277:Drug Approval; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006176:Gynecology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000145:classification*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011897:Random Allocation; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs