Table 2.

Over-the-counter proton-pump inhibitor availability by country [21, 22]

Drug	Year (region) of first OTC switch approval	Countries where approved for over-the-counter usea
Esomeprazoleb	2013 (EU)	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, UK, USA
Lansoprazole	2004 (Sweden)	Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, USA
Omeprazole	1999 (Sweden)	Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, UK, USA
Pantoprazolec	2008 (Australia)	Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, UK
Rabeprazole	2010 (Australia)	Australia, UK

^aItalicized countries are those where the drug is approved for non-prescription sale in a pharmacy-only category

^bEsomeprazole 20 mg was switched to non-prescription status under the centralised procedure in the entire European Union through a Decision of the European Commission dated 26 August 2013

^cPantoprazole 20 mg was switched to non-prescription status under the centralised procedure in the entire European Union through a Decision of the European Commission dated 12 June 2009