IPH - Hour 3 - Over the Counter Medications

Textbook Readings

Roache and Ford: Page 6

Over the Counter (OTC) medications are non-prescription medications that can be legally obtained. These medications have been proven to show little or no risk to the consumer when used as directed. Even when used correctly, OTC drugs can cause adverse reactions, drug - drug interactions, allergic reactions, and idiosyncracies.

The FDA has strict labelling laws governing OTC medications. This information must be present on all OTC medication labels in the same order and in the same format.

Active Ingredient
Uses
Warnings
Inactive Ingredients
Purpose
Directions
Other Information
Expiration Date
Lot or batch code
Manufacturer
Net quantity of contents
What to do if an overdose occurs

Some OTC medications are kept behind the counter and the customer needs to show a photo ID and sign a log book before purchasing. This is especially true for some cold medications containing pseudoephedrine. This helps to identify those persons buying the product for illegal purposes.

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