A lotion to treat head lice will no longer require a prescription.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Sklice (ivermectin) lotion, 0.5% as an over-the-counter treatment.
“Today’s approval expands access to another effective topical treatment for the thousands of people with head lice,” Theresa Michele, M.D., acting director of the Office of Nonprescription Drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a news release.
There are roughly 6 million to 12 million cases of head lice each year in U.S. children ages 3 to 11 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Several medications are available to treat lice. Sklice initially was approved as a prescription medication in 2012 for children ages 6 months and older. It is applied on the scalp and dry hair.
In order to switch to an over-the-counter medication, the manufacturer was required to show it is safe, effective and easy to use without the supervision of a health care professional.
