\u201cIf you think about it, if a medication is safe, doesn\u2019t require laboratory test monitoring, and can\u2019t be used in some nefarious way, why do we require a prescription?\u201d Makary said during an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend. \u201cMost of the world does not do that.\u201d <\/p>\n
![\"RFK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/MTFUWOGUUVFZBNODOAXP6ONVDI.jpg\")
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary argued that if prescription drugs are indeed safe, they should be on pharmacy shelves. Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images <\/p>\n
The FDA commissioner\u2019s comments come days after Trump announced<\/a> his thin \u201cGreat Healthcare Plan,\u201d which he said would lower prescription drug prices and insurance premiums. <\/p>\n While Makary and Fox News host Griff Jenkins were discussing Tamiflu, it\u2019s unclear which other medications the FDA boss had in mind.<\/p>\n In many countries across the world, prescriptions are used to prevent drug misuse and promote safety. Tamiflu, which is an antiviral, works best if an individual is at risk of complications or is very sick with the flu, per the CDC<\/a>. It\u2019s not necessary for those with mild illness, which is why it\u2019s important to get a doctor\u2019s professional opinion. <\/p>\n Makary insisted that removing prescription requirements on drugs would lower the price of medication.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something magical about price transparency when a drug is on the shelf of a store or a pharmacy,\u201d he said. \u201cYou see the price, you have competition, and those who shop by price keep prices in check. That lowers drug prices and it cuts out the middlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n The middlemen in this case include doctors who advise their patients on the best course of treatment for their symptoms. Makary did not mention any potential safety issues that might arise in this plan, although everyday people are not typically well-versed in medication doses, duration, and side effects on their own.<\/p>\n Makary has been pushing for an expedited drug review process, despite the U.S. already having the fastest review times in the world at six to 10 months. A new national priority voucher program has drastically decreased<\/a> the time to one to two months for drugs that support \u201cU.S. national interests.\u201d<\/p>\n However, experts and FDA staffers told<\/a> the Associated Press that the commissioner\u2019s plans flouts legal, ethical, and scientific standards that ensure drug safety. With over 20% of the FDA\u2019s manpower getting slashed last year, the agency also lacks the bandwidth to execute this new truncated process.<\/p>\n Currently, the FDA differentiates prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by assessing them<\/a> through its OTC Drug monographs. These are standardized booklets listing doses, acceptable ingredients, formulations, and labels. If a drug conforms to these standards, it doesn\u2019t need further FDA clearance to be marketed. However, if it strays, it requires new drug approval, which is how prescription drugs are regulated. <\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/QFEYLBPZNFCT3JGR7J3HGNS2RY.JPG\")
The FDA commissioner\u2019s remarks come days after Trump announced his thin \u201cGreat Healthcare Plan.” Kevin Lamarque\/REUTERS\/Kevin Lamarque <\/p>\n