US panel finds three big allergy drugs OTC safe

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US panel finds three big allergy drugs OTC safe

WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) - A federal advisory panel decided Friday that

three popular prescription allergy drugs were safe enough to be made

available over-the-counter (OTC), the first step in considering a petition

from a major health management company to end their prescription status.

In three separate votes, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory

panel backed the safety of Schering-Plough Corp.'s Claritin, Aventis SA's

Allegra and Pfizer Inc.'s Zyrtec for non-prescription status. The FDA often,

but not always, follows the advice of such panels.

WellPoint Health Networks Inc. has requested the change for the three drugs

in a move it estimates could save it $45 million a year.

However, there is uncertainty as to how the FDA will ultimately proceed,

given that the drug companies oppose WellPoint's effort.

The advisory panel members recommended that if the drugs do become available

over-the-counter, their labels should be changed to add warnings since

patients will not be seeing doctors before taking them.