What is a primary goal of the Durham Humphrey Amendment?

The primary goal of the Durham-Humphrey Amendment, enacted in 1951, is to distinguish between prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. This legislation clarified the conditions under which a drug could be dispensed by a pharmacist, requiring that certain medications only be available with a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. The intent behind this differentiation was to ensure that drugs with potential for misuse or those requiring professional health care oversight would be classified as prescription drugs, while safer medications could be made available for direct consumer purchase without a prescription.

This classification plays a crucial role in protecting patients by ensuring that consumers have proper guidance when using medications that may require monitoring for safety and efficacy. It also helped to streamline the process of dispensing medications by providing clear regulatory guidelines on how different categories of drugs can be accessed by consumers.