Physicians' attitudes toward reclassifying drugs as over-the-counter

OBJECTIVES. 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' altitudes towards OTC switches and to find out wh ether transfer of drugs that are used in a doctor's own area of specialty i ncreases negative attitudes toward release. For the latter purpose, gynecol ogists' perceptions about the availability of vaginal antifungal OTC drugs was studied. METHODS. Postal questionnaire to a representative random sample of gynecolo gists (n = 169) and general practitioners (GPs) (n = 288) in six counties i n Finland in 1996. After a reminder, the response rate was 77% (n = 341). M ultivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the relationshi p of factors to attitudes toward OTC drugs. RESULTS. The overall attitude toward the availability of OTC drugs was mode rately positive but was more reserved toward those drugs only recently give n 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 a ntifungal drugs was not supported. CONCLUSIONS. Physicians' views about OTC drugs are influenced by the curren t 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 o f case mix and patient load.