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What Makary’s Plan For Expanding OTC Drug Access Could Mean For Safety

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary argues that any drug deemed safe, non‑addictive and not prone to misuse should be sold over the counter. He cites anti‑nausea medicines, hormonal contraception and common analgesics as candidates, while urging regulators to abandon a paternalistic approach. The article warns that extending OTC status to antibiotics could exacerbate antimicrobial resistance, a growing public‑health crisis. It also highlights alternative models such as pharmacist‑prescribed antibiotics and the impact of the U.S. disengagement from WHO coordination.