OTC Medicine Labels: Your Key to Safe, Effective Dosing

Shopping for over-the-counter medications at your local pharmacy can be daunting, especially if you’re not feeling well. Browsing the pharmacy aisle with a head cold, you’re faced with many choices: decongestants, cough formulas, fever reducers…

Even as a physician, I’ve found it challenging to evaluate the wide variety of available products, compare formulations, and narrow my choice to exactly what I need. A sick patient may be doubly overwhelmed.

To navigate the OTC aisle knowledgeably, it’s key to understand OTC medicine labels and the important information they contain. Here are five commonsense tips to keep in mind when you shop over the counter, including advice on how to read medication labels:

Understand Brand vs. Generic

Virtually all medications have both a trade (brand) name and a generic name. Some products are well-known generically, others are identified almost exclusively by brand.

Take Tylenol, for example. “Tylenol” is the brand name; generically, it’s acetaminophen. If you don’t realize Tylenol and acetaminophen are one and the same, you may be perplexed in the drugstore aisle as you try to decipher the difference between the two. You may also inadvertently take duplicate treatments!

Here are some examples of generic and brand names for commonly used OTC drugs:

Manufacturers don’t make it easy, as they will apply a popular brand name to a series of products, each of which may have different components. Excedrin, for instance, has several different formulations with varying ingredients. I’ve seen a similar trend with Mucinex and Sudafed as well.

Beware of Unnecessary Ingredients

If you tend to quickly browse for your medicine by brand name alone, you may wind up with a product that’s technically “on-brand” but has additional ingredients you don’t need.

For instance, if you’ve always known guaifenesin as Mucinex and you spy Mucinex DM on the drugstore shelf, you may think you’re simply getting guaifenesin — but you’re also getting extra medication that may not be safe for you.

Read OTC Medicine Labels Carefully

When you shop for over-the-counter medicines, OTC labeling requirements help you choose the safest, most effective product for your needs.

If you’re lost in the pharmacy aisle, the Drug Facts nutritional label is your friend. Check the Drug Facts on the back of each OTC product for the information you need before buying.

In the U.S., OTC labeling requirements guide you in how to read medication labels by calling for products to be clearly labeled in a specific, easy-to-read format, displaying:

• The medication’s active ingredients
• Its nonactive ingredients, like binders or fillers
• Important directions for dosing
• Any required warnings about the product

Avoid Double-Dosing

Take care not to unwittingly double your dosage of a particular drug. I’ve had patients mention they’re taking Tylenol for fever, on top of a cold medicine I’ve prescribed — without realizing the acetaminophen in their Tylenol is equal to what’s in their prescription.

We also advise patients not to use OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ibuprofen, naproxen) if they already take prescription medications like Celebrex, Mobic, or Voltaren — also potent NSAIDs.

It’s critical not to mix NSAIDs. Too much in your system increases your risk of an ulcer or excessive bleeding.

OTC Medicines Aren’t Risk-Free

Even drugs available without a prescription — from antihistamines to pain relievers to reflux medicine — can carry risk:

• Excessive dosing with NSAIDs may cause kidney failure. Most people are aware of the risk acetaminophen (Tylenol) — which isn’t an NSAID — poses to the liver. However, NSAIDs can arguably be more harmful to the liver than acetaminophen. Respect the dosing recommendations of the drug’s manufacturer.
• Over-the-counter medicines are never a substitute for consulting your physician. If you take one or more OTCs regularly, discuss it with your Signature Healthcare doctor. We have access to tools that tell us if your nonprescription medicine might interact poorly with your prescriptions or other OTC products.
• Drug reactions vary between individuals. Heed label warnings about not driving, operating machinery, or consuming alcohol while taking a particular OTC medication. To avoid inaccuracy or misinformation, don’t rely on the internet. Refer questions about label warnings to your trusted physician, not Dr. Google.
• Check expiration dates. Although expired OTC medicines generally don’t become toxic, they can become less potent. In a pinch, it’s typically OK to take some of the medication… but replace it with a fresh supply as soon as it’s convenient.

Considering Supplements?

Perhaps you’ve found yourself in the drugstore’s supplements aisle and wondered if one or more supplements — anti-aging, performance-boosting, hair growth — might be right for you.

First, be aware that supplements are not medications. They’re not held to the same high quality and safety standards as over-the-counter medicines:

• The FDA considers supplements as food products and does not consider them intended to treat medical issues or conditions.
• The FDA does not check or regulate a supplement’s active ingredients.
• Supplements don’t have to demonstrate they’re effective, just that they’re non-toxic.
• They don’t adhere to OTC medicines’ packaging and labeling standards.
• They often make bold or questionable claims or overpromise what they can deliver.

Supplements from a random manufacturer — one that advertises on Amazon, for instance — may make sketchy claims or prove to be low-quality. When purchasing supplements from certain online retailers, you may also see counterfeits of name brands. It’s typically safest to buy supplements from a trusted pharmacy, a nationally respected nutrition store, or a reliable nationwide retailer like Costco, Target, or Kroger.

A Final Word on OTC Medicine Labels

In the U.S., there are over 300,000 nonprescription drug products on the market, containing some 800 active ingredients in 80+ therapeutic categories, from allergy treatments to analgesics.

To select the best over-the-counter products for your needs, it’s crucial to know how to read medication labels. With a good foundational understanding, you’re empowered to make better OTC choices.

Your Signature Healthcare doctor is also an important resource. We can help you fight overwhelm in your drugstore’s OTC aisle and make informed decisions about dosing and potential drug interactions.

Let’s talk before your next trip to the pharmacy!