Over the counter sales of histamine-2 receptor antagonists.

Self treatment with H2 antagonists may have a positive impact on quality of life and costs. It may, however, also lead to incomplete peptic ulcer healing with frequent relapse and complications, inadequate long term treatment, neglectance of the life style type treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease and a delay in the diagnosis of gastric malignancy. More research needs to be focused on the consequences of a more unrestricted and symptom guided use of H2 antagonists.