The New York Times reported (June 28) that Congress held hearings June 28-29 to consider making prescription medications available over the counter and on-line. The medications discussed include cholesterol lowering and other drugs for chronic conditions. This would permit those practicing self-care techniques to have access to medication after their own self-diagnosis. The hearings are responding to the demands of the uninsured who use on-line self-care resources and manuals to treat themselves, but who cannot afford doctor's visits or prescription medication (which tend to be priced higher than over-the-counter drugs). Dr. Robert De Lap, who arranged the hearings, said: "The health care environment has changed tremendously in recent years. People are much more interested in self care, and in being able to manage their minor conditions themselves." Opponents of these measures say that making antibiotics freely available will dilute their effectiveness. Others like Dr. Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen argue that patients must have access to a doctor's care so that medications are not misused. Perhaps what should be done is produce medical testing kits that are simple to operate and widely available for home use--such as throat cultures that could be mailed to a laboratory to test for strep. Then it could be determined whether and what medication is appropriate, still all at a much lower cost than seeing a doctor.