When was advil approved in the us as prescribed pain killer?

When was Advil approved in the US as a prescription painkiller?

Advil’s active ingredient is ibuprofen. In the United States, ibuprofen was first approved by the FDA in 1974 for use as a prescription drug to treat pain and inflammation. [1]

Was Advil available as an OTC medicine before or after that?

The FDA later allowed over-the-counter (OTC) use of ibuprofen products. The OTC switch happened after the original prescription approval and subsequent regulatory steps, meaning “Advil” as a brand became widely available without a prescription only later than the 1974 approval date for prescription ibuprofen. [1]

How does this relate to today’s “prescribed” use?

Even though ibuprofen is commonly sold OTC now, it began life in the US system as a prescription medication approved in 1974 for pain-related uses. [1]

Source

1. DrugPatentWatch.com – Ibuprofen (Advil) history/entry