Over-the-counter medicine provision is a controversial concept that has long been a topic for discussion. There is a wide array of over-the-counter products ranging from Aspirin pills to anti-dandruff shampoos and specific brands of mouthwash. While there are some important benefits to it, such as availability and reduction of healthcare-related costs, it is undeniable that the disadvantages of this approach are also rather severe. I believe that there should be fewer over-the-counter products available to women, as the dangers of freely purchased over-the-counter medicine outweigh the help they offer the population.
When using over-the-counter medicine, the patient should understand that, without consulting a doctor, they might do more harm than good to their help. The doctor, prescribing a particular drug to a patient, gives detailed recommendations regarding all aspects of its use, such as dosage, time of intake, possible side effects, and others. As for over-the-counter drugs, this responsibility falls on the pharmacist, who should be able to provide objective and reliable information about the medicine.
However, women might forego such consultation when buying specific kinds of medicine – for example, gynecological and urological products – due to the conviction that they “know better,” especially if the pharmacist is male. For example, Brown et al. (2017) report that “nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most commonly used as first‐line treatment for women with endometriosis because they have few side effects, and many are available over the counter” (p. 2). Moreover, Saeed et al.’s (2022) study showed that “women who considered over-the-counter as safe products were more likely to use them during and before pregnancy” (p. 24). The presence of chronic diseases or comorbidities, which may be contraindications for taking certain drugs, is often not taken into account. In addition, some products can provoke allergic reactions, especially if used in the wrong doses or applied incorrectly.
Thus, it can be concluded that over-the-counter medicine provision should be limited. Uncontrolled sale of specific products might pose a significant harm to the female population. For example, incorrect intake of gynecology- or urology-related drugs might cause severe damage to urogenital system. Moreover, every person should consider at least consulting the pharmacist before purchasing over-the-counter products if they are not willing to contact a doctor, especially if there are chronic diseases or comorbidities present.
References
Brown, J., Crawford, T. J., Allen, C., Hopewell, S., & Prentice, A. (2017). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain in women with endometriosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017(5).
Saeed, K. K., Ali, B. M., & Sanaan, R. H. (2022). Use of over-the-counter medication among pregnant women in Duhok City. Advanced Medical Journal, 7(1), 24–32.