In the US they have to apply for it to be over the counter and pay a bunch of money in studies. It's a pretty expensive process. So, in the US it's over the c

In the US they have to apply for it to be over the counter and pay a bunch of money in studies. It's a pretty expensive process. So, in the US it's over the counter if people will seek it out. This way they can charge more. If it's not over the counter it's something generic that people will not go out of their way to a doctor for. In the last 10 years in the US I think the only prescription drugs moved to over the counter is allergy medicine, which seems to fit this pattern: People will not go to a doctor for seasonal allergies typically.