OTCs
People are taking more ingredients in these combination meds than they actually need - Amanda Angelotti
image by: The Aware Consumer
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Over-the-Counter Medicines’ Benefits and Dangers
Four out of five American adults commonly take over-the-counter medications, most often to treat ailments like aches and pains, coughs and colds, fever, allergies, skin disorders, and heartburn and other digestive problems. The reasons are easy to understand. O.T.C.s are convenient, readily available in groceries and big box stores as well as pharmacies, and they are less expensive than going to the doctor and perhaps paying for a costly prescription.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are more than 300,000 over-the-counter drug products on the market, a number that continues to grow as an increasing number of medications move from prescription to O.T.C. status. According…
Resources
Buried in Pills
Over 80 percent of people use OTCs as a first response to an ailment.
Addicts Who Can't Get Opioids Are Overdosing on a Diarrhea Drug
We’ve had patients tell us they take 400 to 500 tablets day … They put it in a blender and make a smoothie and drink it over one or two hours.
FDA to Revamp Approval Path for OTC Drugs
"The current system isn't working well for the public or for us," Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's center for drug evaluation, said in an interview. "We would like monograph drugs to have the same safety framework as prescription drugs."
Most-Abused Over-The-Counter Drugs in Seattle
In Washington state, substance abuse isn’t always about illicit street drugs. In fact, after marijuana, legal medications are the most commonly-abused drugs, not just in Washington state, but in America. Taken properly, the medicines we buy over-the-counter are essential to our everyday help.
Online reviews can make over-the-counter drugs look way too effective
'Evidence-based hearsay’ and personal anecdotes overshadow clinical trial results.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief: Caution, Common Sense on All Drugs
If you’re like many of us, however, you’re just seeking relief from an occasional ouch, throb or twinge. Can these be prevented or handled without drugs? We all need to learn to manage more of these issues in other ways — for our own benefit...
Picking the Right Over-the-Counter Pain Reliever
Here are the major categories of nonprescription pain relievers and some of what you should know about them...
Popular Over-The-Counter Drugs May Increase Dementia Risk
Popular non-prescription and prescription medications, including the active ingredient in Benadryl, have been linked to increased risk of developing dementia by a study published in a top-tier medical journal.
Should the FDA Move More Drugs to OTC Status?
There are two sides to this situation. One the one hand, some feel that our society is over-regulated and that we should have a greater say in what we decide to put into our bodies and how we should take care of ourselves. Yet, if DDIs are so prevalent in treating diseases like cancer, where intense scrutiny of a patient’s treatment is the norm, what will happen when even more medications are available OTC?
Studies Link Some Stomach Drugs to Possible Alzheimer’s Disease and Kidney Problems
Doctors and patients are grappling with the unsettling finding that chronic use of popular heartburn medicines may be riskier than was thought.
The Cold-Medicine Racket
There are now hundreds of flashy "cold and flu" products, but still only a handful of simple, cheap ingredients. Here's one new way to cut through the noise.
The Over-The-Counter Drug Reactions You Should Watch Out For
Potentially serious side effects for popular medications are more common than you may think.
Over-the-Counter Medicines’ Benefits and Dangers
Even if O.T.C.s are used correctly, there can be problems. Some drugs should not be taken by people with certain health conditions, or be combined with other drugs — prescribed or over the counter — because of the possibility of adverse interactions.
10 over-the-counter medicines abused by teens
Is your medicine cabinet a source for a teen’s legal “high?” Because a doctor’s prescription is not needed, many mistakenly believe that over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are safer than prescription medicines and illegal street drugs. They are in fact safe and effective when taken as directed, but even OTC medicines—including herbals—can cause serious and potentially fatal side effects when abused.
Consumer Healthcare Products Association
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) is the 136-year-old national trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements.
KnowYourOTCs.org
KnowYourOTCs.org is a consumer resource provided by the CHPA Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible use of consumer healthcare products.
Drugs.com
Drugs that are safe and effective for use by the general public without a prescription are defined as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. These drugs are often located on shelves in pharmacies with easy access by patients, but may also be located in non-pharmacy outlets, such as grocery stores, convenience marts and large discount retailers.
MedlinePlus
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs you can buy without a prescription.
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