HR 79 Summary

• Designates March 2018 as Self-Care Awareness Month in Alabama to recognize the importance of self-care practices and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

• States that every dollar spent on OTC medicines saves the U.S. health care system $6 to $7 annually, totalling $102 billion in annual savings.

• Acknowledges that OTC nonprescription medicines help reduce unnecessary medical examinations and ease the burden on health care practitioners.

• Encourages consumers, health care practitioners, policymakers, and regulators to communicate the benefits of self-care and support development of new nonprescription medicines and appropriate switches from prescription to nonprescription medications.