The Department of Health and Social Care has published a list of health conditions and drug categories for which it is encouraging reclassification applications in a bid to boost rates of patient self-care.

The list, published on the DHSC website last Wednesday (February 5), includes the following conditions:

• Short-term sleep aids

• Oral health

• Pain management (migraine, osteoarthritis, pain relief/joint pain)
• Allergic rhinitis

• Skin (acne, eczema, psoriasis)

• Women’s health conditions (heavy periods, intimate fungal skin infections, UTIs).

The list also includes a number of gastrointestinal indications such as heartburn and stomach protection. 

The MHRA will reject any applications to reclassify medicines that contain antibiotics or opioids, and there is no guarantee that applications for medicines in the above categories will receive MHRA approval. 

The announcement follows a consultation exercise in 2024 between Government, NHS clinicians, pharmacists and industry, with scrutiny by the UK’s four chief pharmaceutical officers. 

The DHSC received input from the Conditions and Categories Working Group, which comprises OTC trade body PAGB, Community Pharmacy England, the Company Chemists’ Association, the National Pharmacy Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. 

In a joint statement, the working group commented: “Each year, at least 25 million GP appointments and five million A&E visits are used for illnesses that are self-treatable with OTCs, costing the NHS £1.7bn. 

“By reducing NHS prescribing spend by five per cent through increased reclassification, the health service could save approximately £1.4bn per year.”

The working group welcomed the announcement and encouraged the Government to "go further" by exploring a possible 25 switches over the next five-years and "re-evaluating the restrictive criteria for switching a POM to OTC," as wel as incentivising manufacturers to launch switch efforts. 

RPS president Claire Anderson also welcomed the announcement, commenting: “Reclassification can provide people with easier access to treatments for a range of symptoms and encourages self-care. 

“Enabling POM to P switches has a critical role to play in managing demand in primary care. 

“It helps minimise unnecessary GP appointments and A&E attendances for minor conditions and ensures the public get the treatment they need from community pharmacies.”