$ITNS The more than 700 of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs on the market today required a prescription 30 years ago, and the shift to non-prescription OTC medicines has allowed consumers to reduce the number of doctor visits for minor ailments. The worldwide market for OTC drugs could exceed $70 billion by 2015, according to a report by Visiongain, a British research company. (http://pharma.about.com/od/Over-the-Counter-Medicine/a/The-Over-the-counter-Drug-Industry.htm)