PERSPECTIVES ON SWITCHING ORAL ACYCLOVIR FROM PRESCRIPTION TO OVER-THE-COUNTER STATUS - REPORT OF A CONSENSUS PANEL

The proposed switching of oral acyclovir from prescription to over-the -counter (OTC) status for the 5-day episodic treatment of genital herp es was considered by a consensus panel, It was concluded that self-dia gnosis/misdiagnosis, misuse, and adverse drug effects were potential p roblems with the OTC use of acyclovir, While acyclovir reduces asympto matic shedding of herpes simplex virus type 2, the reduction in transm ission of virus potentially resulting from increased acyclovir use was felt to be of unknown extent but likely to be of benefit overall, The availability of acyclovir would likely be improved, There were differ ences in opinion as to whether widespread availability of acyclovir (p rescription or OTC) may speed the development of viral resistance, How ever, all panel members felt that granting OTC status may set an undes irable precedent for the switch from prescription to OTC use of other systemically administered antiinfective agents, The effect of this pre cedent, in terms of accelerating development of multidrug-resistant ba cteria, was a major concern of all panel members, The consensus was th at the switch of acyclovir to OTC status could not be supported.