Over-the-Counter Drugs More Expensive Than Abroad

Over-the-counter medicines by big pharma companies are more expensive in Korea than elsewhere, the Consumers Union of Korea said Thursday.

The consumer group looked at 16 OTC drugs including Pfizer's popular pain reliever Advil and Reckitt Benckiser's Gaviscon for acid reflux and heartburn and discovered that the average price of 11 was higher than in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, U.K. and U.S.

In other countries, these drugs are sold through a variety of retail channels such as supermarkets and online shopping malls. But in Korea, they can only be sold in pharmacies, limiting competition to bring the price down.

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