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Society and public health
Society benefits from a citizenry that is better informed about
healthcare and therefore more able to exercise self-reliance.
Having the tools available to help consumers practice such self-reliance
also allows scarce health resources to be directed toward illnesses
or conditions that require treatment in the professional healthcare
system. Having appropriate nonprescription medicines available
can also reduce illegal use of prescription products without a
prescription - something which occurs too frequently in some countries,
and is sometimes referred to as "self-prescription."
In Mexico, for example, an increase in the availability of nonprescription
medicines helped to reduce the estimated rate of "self-prescription"
by 20 percent from 1989 to 1999.
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some cases, nonprescription medicines provide treatment in areas
which are otherwise under-served. Certain preventive measures,
or those more tied to behavior and the need for non-health oriented
support are examples, such as smoking cessation. On the latter,
a 152 percent increase in the use of nicotine replacement therapy
in the US the first year after its switch to nonprescription status
yielded an estimated 114,000 to 304,000 new former smokers annually.
That is up to 300,000 people each year who are able to reduce
their risk of lung cancer, emphysema, stroke, heart attack and
complications in pregnancy because of self-care products that
help them stop. Today there are 1.1 billion smokers worldwide,
and this number is expected to reach 1.6 billion by 2025. Readily
available products to help people quit smoking takes on even greater
importance in the context of this worldwide threat.
Cost benefits in self-medication
An aging population and growing healthcare costs raise the question
of needs out-stripping available funds if the solvency of healthcare
financing systems is to be maintained. For example, by 2010 the
percentage of the population over 65 is projected to reach 22
percent in Japan and 16 percent in Europe. Meanwhile, access and
affordability of healthcare are essential. Self-responsibility
is one aspect in that picture, and nonprescription medicines are
a part of that. Used appropriately, self-medication can increase
access and improve the cost-benefit picture in certain areas.
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