The difference between Class A and Class B drugs:
1. The drugs marked with OTC on a red background are Class A drugs, all of which are over-the-counter drugs.
2. Class B drugs are marked as green because of their longer clinical use, higher safety and less side effects; The clinical use of Class A drugs is relatively short and the safety is slightly lower, so the red warning is used.
3. Class B OTC drugs can be sold not only in pharmacies, but also in supermarkets, hotels and department stores. The safety factor is higher! ? Of course, these ordinary commercial enterprises need the approval of the corresponding drug supervision and administration departments before they can sell Class B OTC drugs. Although Class A drugs are over-the-counter drugs, they should also be used under the guidance of pharmacists.
Over-the-counter drugs can be taken without the guidance of a doctor. The characteristics are summarized as follows:
1, without a doctor's prescription, not under the guidance and supervision of a doctor.
2. Indications are diseases that patients can judge by themselves. The medicine has definite curative effect, convenient and safe use and quick response.
3. Generally, it can alleviate the discomfort of patients, alleviate the initial symptoms of minor illnesses or prevent their deterioration, and also alleviate the diagnosed symptoms or delay the development of symptoms.
4. It contains no toxic or addictive components, is not easy to accumulate in the body, does not produce drug resistance, and has a low incidence of adverse reactions.
5, storage under general conditions, stable quality.
6. The instructions for 6.OTC drugs are different for different users. The instructions are easy to understand and can be used correctly under the guidance of labels and instructions.
7. The characteristics of over-the-counter drugs: safety, effectiveness, convenience and economy. Otc drugs have gone through many years of clinical trials before being put on the market and have been widely recognized by consumers.
At present, there are 39 OTC drugs 1 139 and 4376 Chinese medicines published in China (as of April 15, 2008). All the information can be found on the website of the State Food and Drug Administration: OTC Chemical Instructions and OTC Traditional Chinese Medicine Instructions.
Extended data:
After the implementation of OTC regulations, it is not static, and it needs to be re-evaluated every 3-5 years, so as to ensure the effectiveness and safety of OTC. With the development of medical science and technology, a large number of new drugs are on the market, and the understanding of OTC is deepening. Some prescription drugs are unlikely to become over-the-counter drugs.
However, after changing the dosage form or lowering the standard dosage, it may become OTC, that is to say, adding those over-the-counter drugs with better performance, safer and more effective, and eliminating some outdated over-the-counter drugs. For example, there are six main categories of OTC in the world: antipyretic and analgesic drugs, antitussive and anti-cold drugs, digestive system drugs, dermatological drugs, tonic drugs,
Vitamins, trace elements and additives. However, the following drugs may be classified as OTC after conversion: antiasthmatic drugs, oral contraceptives, muscle relaxants, cardiovascular drugs (excluding calcium antagonists) and anti-infective drugs.
References:
Baidu encyclopedia -OTC