Maxwellia welcomes renewed government focus on medicine reclassification

Alderley Park, UK – Feb 6 2025 – Maxwellia welcomes the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) renewed focus on medicine reclassification. As a company whose sole mission is to widen access to medicines by ‘switching’ prescription medicines into over-the-counter (OTC) brands, we fully support this initiative and stand ready to help bring more treatments directly to those who need them.

 

Reclassification is both an economic and healthcare imperative. Every year, at least 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are used for self-treatable illnesses that could be managed with OTC medicines. Through increased self-care, the NHS could save at least £1.7bn per year in appointment costs, on top of the £6.4bn already saved annually through avoided prescriptions and consultations. The economic benefits extend beyond the NHS, with self-care reducing workplace absenteeism, preventing an estimated 164 million lost workdays per year and a staggering £18bn in avoided lost wages. [1]

 

Reclassification is what Maxwellia does. Since our founding in 2013, we have been dedicated to transforming prescription medicines into accessible, consumer-friendly OTC brands. Our founder, Anna Maxwell, is the leading expert in this field having quite literally written the book on it, Switch Dynamics. As an independent consumer healthcare company without ties to legacy prescription drugs, we are pleased to see the DHSC prioritising conditions for reclassification based on unmet need – something that we champion at Maxwellia. Our recent launch of Evana® (tranexamic acid) for heavy periods directly addresses a condition highlighted in the DHSC’s reclassification focus, reinforcing our ability to identify and act on key self-care opportunities.

 

Maxwellia has a robust pipeline of future ‘switches’ that align with the DHSC’s priorities, and we are actively seeking investment to accelerate these launches. Now is the time to invest and be part of our next phase of explosive growth as we continue to redefine consumer healthcare.