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‘A Spoonful of Regulation Helps the Medicine Go Down’: The Changing Face of Medicine Regulation

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Abstract

The number of medicines that are being switched from prescription only to over-the-counter are rapidly increasing. The government has said it wishes to double the number of switches in the next 10 years. To assist with this ambition, the MHRA has made it easier and commercially more attractive for pharmaceutical companies to apply for a switch. This paper explores the interests and drivers behind these developments. In particular, it interrogates Abraham's thesis that medicine regulation is neo-liberal and thus ‘industry-friendly’. By examining the recent switch of statins, a cholesterol-lowering drug that can be used preventatively – the first switch of its kind – it is argued that far from being clearly an ‘industry-friendly’ regulatory development, in the UK context it is instead a ‘state-friendly’ regulatory development.

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Notes

  1. It is not here being argued that market relationships necessarily generate accountability. The tendency in market systems towards oligopoly and monopoly also means that there is a tendency for accountability to be compromised in systematic ways. However, competition in markets is traditionally heralded as one means of ensuring accountability.

  2. Over the years, Abraham has worked and published his thesis with a number of other people. Reference to his theory is made to identify him as the central protagonist of this thesis. However, references are made to a number of papers he has written with collaborators.

  3. Lifestyle drugs are defined as ‘those that primarily enhance performance, assist patients in managing their lifestyle, treat the diseases of civilization, or make cosmetic improvements’ (Scrip, 2000, p. 89).

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  1. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Nursing, Queens Medical Centre, The University of Nottingham, Room B50 Medical School, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK

    Alison Edgley

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Edgley, A. ‘A Spoonful of Regulation Helps the Medicine Go Down’: The Changing Face of Medicine Regulation. Soc Theory Health 5, 145–160 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.sth.8700095

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