Over-the-counter medications

Medicine is one of the most crucial categories of goods in the world and has greatly increased the quality and duration of the lives of countless people. Modern people have many options when it comes to seeking medical care and finding the best pharmaceuticals for various health conditions. Many thousands of medicines exist, and may address almost any aspect of physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing.

Despite their extensive variety, most legally authorized modern medicines may be separated into two main categories: prescription and over the counter (OTC). In short, OTC medications are medicines that a person may legally buy without permission from a doctor or other medical expert. Most kinds of medicine for everyday ailments and minor maladies, ranging from runny noses and skin rashes to aches and pains, are available in OTC forms.

Brief History

For the vast majority of medical history, people had little or no concept of these modern distinctions between types of medicine. Although a doctor might suggest or supply medicines to a sick or injured patient, the doctor’s permission was likely not expressly required to get the medicine. Druggists could produce and offer for sale practically any sort of substance to anyone who was willing and able to pay for it. This practice had many serious, even potentially deadly, downsides.

People who sold drugs faced few if any official oversights, meaning they could sell almost anything they claimed to be medicine. This included so-called snake oils and other miracle cure concoctions with little or no medicinal value. Some of the materials sold were useless. Many others were harmful, containing toxic ingredients or habit-forming substances—including alcohol, cocaine, and opium—that plunged hopeful cure-seekers into unintentional addiction.

Over time, regulatory bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, were created to oversee the sale of medicinal substances. These groups attempted to uphold some safety guidelines to protect consumers from fake and dangerous substances. They also began to draw distinctions between the kinds of chemicals being offered.

In 1951, an amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act established a basic distinction between the major categories of medicine. This legislation established that the most powerful compounds, which might be dangerous or habit-forming if taken without expert guidance, would be considered prescription medicines since they would require a doctor’s approval (written on a prescription form) to purchase or use. Meanwhile, all other types of medicines would be available for almost anyone to purchase at will from druggists, pharmacies, or other sources. This latter category of less-powerful everyday medicines came to be known as over the counter because they could be purchased directly from a druggist or cashier at a store.

In 1962, legislators added again to the FD&C Act, placing more regulations on OTC medicines and specifying that they must be proven safe and effective for use. Overseeing OTC medicine proved difficult because of the lack of documentation of who bought it and used it, and the results of their experiences. OTC medicines might have various effects on different users; in some cases, harmful or even deadly side effects might occur unexpectedly.

Only decades later, in 2007, did a system develop by which people could report situations in which using OTC medicines possibly led to negative repercussions. This sort of reporting helps the FDA as well as private companies and individual consumers make informed decisions about the medicines they buy.

Overview

In modern times, the category of OTC medicines includes thousands of kinds of substances. Many people rely on OTC medications, particularly for minor illnesses or injuries. These medications are relatively easy to find and purchase and do not require the time and expense of consulting a doctor beforehand. That allows people to address their own minor medical concerns on their own, quickly and privately.

Some of the most common OTC drugs are painkillers such as aspirin and acetaminophen, typically used for minor headaches and similar everyday pains. Countless other varieties of health care materials people use each day are commonly sold in OTC fashion. These include many kinds of first-aid creams, antibiotic ointments, toothpaste, mouthwash, medicated shampoos, eye drops, and remedies for skin growths. For the most part, OTC versions of these substances contain a lower level of drug, meant for everyday use. People with a more serious need for that type of medicine may need to consult a doctor and get a prescription for a stronger version of that medicine, sometimes referred to as prescription-strength medication. For example, anyone may buy a skin ointment with a low level of medicine, but a person with a severe skin condition who needs a much stronger dose will likely need permission from a doctor.

The line between OTC and prescription medications changes frequently and may differ considerably between countries and other jurisdictions. According to the FDA, in 2023, more than seven hundred OTC products used ingredients or strength levels that were once only available by prescription.

Authorities in one era might consider a certain type of medicine too strong or be concerned that it has not been sufficiently studied and proven safe, and therefore classify it as prescription only. Later, experts might review good results from that medication and find a high demand for it, and decide it is in the public interest to release that medication from the prescription level to the OTC level. When this happens, practically anyone will be able to purchase and use the medicine at will. However, sometimes a specific drug will be reduced in potency when it is made OTC, leaving higher-strength doses in the realm of prescription-only medications.

Although OTC medications may be relatively easy to acquire, that does not mean they are entirely safe or that people can use them casually, without sufficient preparation. People using OTC medications have a responsibility to inform themselves of the intended uses and possible side-effects of a drug, as well as its recommended level and manner of administration, before using a product. Users may find this information on medication packaging, by talking with experts, or by doing independent research.

Bibliography

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Lynch, Shalini S. “Overview of Over-the-Counter Drugs.” Merck Manual, Sept. 2022, www.merckmanuals.com/home/drugs/over-the-counter-drugs/overview-of-over-the-counter-drugs. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.

“Over-the-Counter Medicines.” Medline Plus, 15 Oct. 2018, medlineplus.gov/overthecountermedicines.html. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.

“Over-the-Counter Medicines.” Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, 19 July 2021, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002208.htm. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.

“Over-the-Counter Medicines: What’s Right for You?” US Food & Drug Administration, 3 Sept. 2013, www.fda.gov/drugs/choosing-right-over-counter-medicine-otcs/over-counter-medicines-whats-right-you. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.

“Understanding Over-the-Counter Medicines.” US Food & Drug Administration, 16 May 2018, www.fda.gov/drugs/buying-using-medicine-safely/understanding-over-counter-medicines. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.