Prescription-only medicine status should be reserved for antibiotics with a proven antimicrobial resistance risk (AMR), rather than for all “microbials,” including OTC topical antifungals and antivirals, says the Association of the European Self-Care Industry, AESGP.
AESGP: Rx Status For Antifungals And Antivirals Risks Health System Overload
New prudent use rules that would make some commonly used medicines prescription-only should be restricted to antibiotics, the AESGP tells the European Commission in its feedback to the proposed revision of the region's pharmaceutical legislation.

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Two AESGP papers reviewing the evidence for AMR risk associated with a range of OTC antifungals and antivirals conclude there is litte to no risk associated with the responsible self-care use of such medicines.
HBW Insight speaks to AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite about what's on the agenda for the upcoming 61st AESGP Annual Meeting, which will take place in Warsaw, Poland, between 2-4 June. Highlights include the role of prevention in self-care, discussions about how regulators will ensure the competitiveness of European industry on the world stage and incoming changes to sustainability legislation.
“Overall, no unexpected/new data or findings” were presented to Germany's Expert Committee for Prescription in the most recent Rx-to-OTC switch application for sildenafil (25mg and 50mg), according to medicines regulator BfArM, resulting in a third rejection in three years.
“Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility. It is unfair to expect only two sectors to fund wastewater treatment modernization and operation,” argues AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite.
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“Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility. It is unfair to expect only two sectors to fund wastewater treatment modernization and operation,” argues AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite.
TikTok dietary supplement sales in Thailand grew by an astonishing 635% in 2024, while sales via Vietnam's and Malaysia's traditional e-commerce platforms increased by a still impressive 73% and 83% respectively.
Like many European firms, Stada Arzneimittel's 2024 earnings were held back by a soft cough, cold and flu season. However, key launches in its home market Germany and in the Middle East offset this impact and led to 3% organic growth for Stada's Consumer Healthcare business.