What is over-the-counter medication?
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are medicines you can buy at a drugstore without a doctor’s prescription. Why should I use OTC medications? Over-the-counter medication allows you to treat many common minor illnesses without having to get a prescription from a doctor. Steps: • Check the chart below to find the symptoms you want to treat. In the USA, many medications are known only by their brand names. Often, however, medications of different brand names contain identical ingredients. The only difference between a brand-name medication and a generic medicine (a medicine without a brand name) with identical ingredients is the price. • Find a drugstore. In most neighborhoods, you can find a drugstore at the nearest corner. For a listing of drugstores in your area, check the “yellow pages” section of the telephone directory under “Drugs” or “Pharmacy.” While pharmacies primarily dispense prescription medication, they also carry over-the-counter drugs. • Find the medicine section of the
